


Wild Innocence

by negiramen



Series: My Boredom Is Infinite [7]
Category: Infinite (Band)
Genre: M/M, bottom!gyu pff, fox!hybrid gyu, smut at the end, sunggyu with ears and tail is perfect, sungyeol is a prankster, woogyu - Freeform, woohyun is so stubborn and slow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-15
Updated: 2014-11-15
Packaged: 2018-02-25 12:37:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 27,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2622047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/negiramen/pseuds/negiramen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Woohyun is stubborn. Sungyeol is dumb. Dongwoo is simply Dongwoo.<br/>And (fox) Sunggyu is too adorable</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wild Innocence

**Author's Note:**

> hello~ ramen here once again. my newest jewel from AFF <3  
> don't steal it or fox gyu will scratch your eyes out!
> 
> thanks to chloe and koi for the pictures!!

 

 

_Woohyun never felt the need to buy a pet. Not even as a child, when a cat was still a cat, a dog was a dog and pets were definitely smaller than you. Nowadays, they had hybrids everywhere. Humans that had a part of an animal in their genes. They were artificial humans, born out of a test tube. There were a lot of people that thought it was wrong, but as usual money turned the world around, not the good conscience. Companies had noticed the demand the world had for hybrids and had been eager to fulfill it. Too eager maybe even. Because of that a lot of hybrids were made, but not all of them were sold. Like other animals, they were put into shelters and taken care of there. You could adopt them – for some money – and take them home with you.  Woohyun never had any interest in supporting something that seemed so wrong. Creating artificial life was weird, somehow frightening. They were too perfect, too beautiful. They were perfect and yet, for Woohyun, they were lacking something.  
  
He knew people that owned a hybrid pet. His co-worker and friend Sungyeol for example owned a male that was partly cat. A tall and handsome guy with sharp looks. Not Woohyun’s type and he certainly did not understand what was cute about the cat hybrid (Sungyeol always insisted he was utterly adorable). But who knew what was going on in Sungyeol’s brain?  
His friend Dongwoo owned a hybrid too. They were not quite sure what genes he had. His ‘birth certificate’ said bear, but Dongwoo liked to say he had more of a dog in him. Woohyun did not really care. Dongwoo’s hybrid didn’t even like him very much. Howon tried to bite off his hand at their first meeting and ever since that incident their relationship was kind of rocky.  
  
Said two friends never stopped trying to convince him of buying a pet, though Woohyun wouldn’t give in. He was fine on his own. He didn’t need someone to wait for him at home or to cook his meals. Woohyun was a free man and when he needed sex, he went to a club and looked for a one-night-stand. He didn’t do relationships. No need for a boyfriend or anyone else. He was content with what he had. There was no need to change his life. He wasn’t lonely, so why would he get a pet?  
  
It was out of question._   
  


 

„Isn’t my Myungsoo too cute?“ Sungyeol squealed into his ear and then a smartphone screen was pushed into his face.

Woohyun grunted and pushed the hand away. „I’m trying to work here! I don’t care about your stupid Nyancat.”  
  
“Myungsoo!”  
  
“Whatever!” Woohyun waved a hand at the other and continued with the work in front of him. He still had to finish the papers for their meeting at 1:30 pm. He had to finish checking the numbers and making sure the budget was calculated correctly or his boss would rip his balls off and feed them to his evil secretary with chocolate icing on top.  
  
He still needed his balls.  
  
“But he’s wearing a butler uniform! A cat boy in a butler-“  
  
“Sungyeol! I don’t care about your weird fetishes.” Woohyun shot him a glare. “I’d like to work in peace. Please go back to your own office.”  
  
The younger man puffed his cheeks in annoyance. He finally put away his phone. “Fine, but don’t regret it later. Why are you so grumpy?”  
  
“Maybe because you’re disturbing me during work hours and I have a report to finish by 1:30pm?!”  
  
Sungyeol gaped at him. “Geez, you’re still not done with that? You’re so slow, hyung.”  
  
Woohyun’s fingers twitched. “I would be faster if you stopped bothering me!”  
  
“I was just joking, Woohyun-hyung!” Sungyeol grinned at him. The younger man came closer again. “Besides, the meeting was canceled.”  
  
“WHAT?”  
  
“There was an e-mail this morning, didn’t you read it? Jungyeop-ssi is sick and he won’t be there before next Monday. He postponed the meeting to next Tuesday.”  
  
Woohyun’s eyes widened and then he buried his face in his hand. He had not checked his mails all day. Sungyeol patted his shoulder. “Your balls are safe, hyung.”  
  
“How did you-“  
  
“You were not the first guy to get the balls threat. Remember Jonghyun from HR? He was always 30 minutes late for every meeting. So Jungyeop-ssi told him that he would cut off his balls if he isn’t punctual next time. He was late again and then after the meeting, our boss suddenly stormed into his room with a sharp knife from the kitchen. Jonghyun screamed like a chicken: **ANYTHING BUT MY BALLS, SIR!** And Jungyeop coolly told him: **Then I will cut off your dick**. Oh man, the screams could be heard throughout the building.  Poor boy was terrified, although boss told him it had only been a joke.”  
  
Woohyun rubbed his temples. “That is…wow…a nice story. But I still think I should finish my report. I got other stuff to do as well and he won’t be sick forever.”  
  
He turned to his papers again, but Sungyeol threw his palms over them. “Sungyeol…”  
  
“Saturday 2 pm at my place.”  
  
He frowned. “What for?”  
  
“I want to hang out, my friend, no other reason!” Sungyeol smiled widely. “Come on! It’s been ages! When was the last time we hung out?”  
  
“Uh…yesterday?”  
  
“Exactl\- I mean, no…nevermind! Come over to my house, okay? I want to show you something.”  
  
“You know, I really don’t want to see Myungsoo in a butler costume.”  
  
“That’s not what I want to show you! Just come, okay? It will be just us three, Dongwoo, you and me. Like old times.”  
  
Woohyun sighed. “No pets?”  
  
“Myungsoo and Howon can take care of themselves.”  
  
“Fine! Now take your sweaty palms off my desk and return to your office. Don’t disturb me again or I’m not going to show up.”  
  
Sungyeol lifted his hands and stepped back with a grin. “Understood.”  
  
He stopped at the door. “By the way, I lied about the meeting being canceled. It was actually brought forward to 12 pm.”  
  
 _11:50 am_  
  
“LEE SUNGYEOL!”  
  


  
  


_Okay, maybe sometimes he had thought about getting a pet. Everyone had weak moments sometimes, right? People with pets surrounded Woohyun after all. Every day he saw them. He heard stories from his friends and watched advertisements on TV. He still didn’t like the way pets looked too perfect, too artificial, but there were times when Sungyeol or Dongwoo told him things and he got jealous. Howon would always be at the door when Dongwoo returned home, greeting him with wet kisses and hugs. They would cuddle when Dongwoo had a bad day – and do all kinds of other stuff that Woohyun had chosen to ignore to protect his sanity. But Howon was 100% loyal to Dongwoo and his friend never stopped bragging about that.  
  
Sungyeol often got his food brought to work by his cat hybrid – just to show him off. Myungsoo was talented and could do a lot of things, like most hybrids. They were very handy housekeepers. And apparently, they were excellent lovers too. But what made him feel lonely and jealous was the domestic aspect of the pet-owner relationship. He said he was fine alone and that he did not need anyone, but sometimes Woohyun did hate to come home to a dark and cold apartment. Sometimes he just wanted someone to talk to or to cook his meals when he was tired. Someone that would wait for him at home. Not a lover, no, he didn’t want to marry and get a wife or something. If he ever got a pet, it would be more like a friend or housekeeper for him. Woohyun would not sleep with it. It was a pet and he would’ve paid for it after all. It would feel wrong to sleep with it. They were no whores after all. Who wanted to be sold off and used as a slave anyways? Because that was what they were in the end - for most people._

_Woohyun didn’t understand how Myungsoo and  Howon could be so happy about their current situation. Didn’t they feel suppressed? Used? Who would like that? No one!  
  
At least that was what he thought before he got his own hybrid._

  


 

He was at Sungyeol’s place at 2 pm and to his surprise no pet greeted him, only Dongwoo’s big smile and an enthusiastic hug. “Woohyun! Thank you for coming!”  
  
“Dongwoo, less strength please. You are suffocating me.”  
  
Dongwoo slapped his back playfully and stepped back. “We are going to have so much fun today!”  
  
“Let’s get into the car.” Sungyeol said and pushed Dongwoo out of the front door.  
  
“The car? Where are we going anyways?”  
  
“Details, Woohyun! Just get in it.”  
  
His friends grabbed him left and right and pulled him towards the vehicle. Woohyun was starting to feel like something was incredibly wrong. “Are we going to the beach? I didn’t bring my swimsuit.”  
  
Dongwoo laughed. “No, idiot! We are going to the hybrid shelter outside of town.”  
  
“Dongwoo!” Sungyeol shouted in anger.  
  
Woohyun pulled his arms free and stopped walking. “What?!”  
  
“It was supposed to be a secret, Dongwoo-hyung!”  
  
“Sorry, Yeollie…”  
  
“I’m _not_ going to the animal shelter with you! You tricked me!” He glared at his friends in anger.  
  
“I never said we are not going to a shelter!” Sungyeol retorted with a huff.  
  
“You said no hybrids!”  
  
“I said no Myungsoo and Hoya! Geez, Woohyun! I’m not asking you to push a cucumber up your ass. We are just going there and look around, and if you don’t like it, we can leave. I…I mean we, we think you need someone around you. Someone that takes care of you, tells you to work less and pays attention to you at home.” He glanced at Dongwoo and the older man nodded.  
  
Woohyun groaned. “I don’t need someone, especially not a pet hybrid. It feels like buying a slave.”  
  
“They’re not slaves, Woohyun-ah.” Dongwoo said with a serious face. “They’re living beings like us-“  
  
“Well, we didn’t get born from test tubes, so we can hardly be the same.” He felt bad for his words right after they had left his mouth.  
  
Sungyeol’s gaze hardened. “I didn’t take you for one of those racists, hyung. Do you think we should kill them to end their misery too? Do you think they are worth less than us?”  
  
He clenched his fists. “No! I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean it like that. I just don’t want to pay for a life. Buying a dog is one thing, but buying something that looks like a human-“  
  
“They _are_ human, Woohyun.” Dongwoo interrupted him. “I know it’s hard to get your head around it. I was hesitant too, but then I saw Howon at the shelter and I just thought …he deserves so much more than being stuck in there. He deserves to have a family and a home. I felt bad after paying for him, but when I took him home, he just smiled at me like I had just gifted him the world and I knew I had done the right thing. They are lonely and abandoned creatures, Woohyun. People are either scared of them or using them for the wrong things. They are as desperate for a home as any other dog or cat out there.”  
  
He opened his mouth to reply, but Woohyun found no words to say – no right words. Woohyun knew they were quite a lot of hybrids wasting away in shelters, because there was not enough demand anymore. Those that didn’t find a home did not have a future. There were no jobs that they were allowed to do. They had no family in this world and Woohyun could imagine how lonely that must feel. He _knew_ how it felt. But paying for them still seemed wrong and he was hesitant to give up on his usual loner life style.  
  
A hand landed on his shoulder and Woohyun looked up at Sungyeol, who gave him a short smile. “No pressure. If you don’t want to go-“  
  
“It’s okay. I guess a look won’t hurt, but I just don’t know about buying one, Yeol.”  
  
“You’ll understand it better after going there. They just have this special something that makes your heart melt instantly.”  
  
Woohyun doubted that, but he nodded and followed his friends to the car. As Sungyeol drove the car, Dongwoo kept talking to him in the backseat. Telling him of how he went to the shelter for the first time and fell right for the dark-haired hybrid, how he just had to take him home and how Howon was more than a pet for him or a slave. “If we were both animals, I’d call him my mate. I know I paid for him once, but Howon doesn’t mind. He’s staying with me because we like each other. If he wanted to leave, he’d be free to do so.”  
  
He shifted in his seat. “Isn’t it weird? To have a relationship with your pet?”  
  
“I told you he’s more than that!”  
  
Woohyun huffed. He could not imagine having a relationship with a pet. It seemed wrong. It wasn’t like anyone would ever have a relationship with a real dog. Society would frown upon that and throw that person into an asylum, but with hybrids it seemed to be something that was tolerated. But some people just kept them as sex toys and not as real partners in a relationship, which was kind of sad. His friends were not like that, though.  
  
“You know I’m not looking for a relationship and if I did, I’d look for it elsewhere.”  
  
Sungyeol looked back to him. “We’re not asking you to hook up with one of them. But maybe you will find a new friend, someone that can take care of you at home. You know, they are all fantastic cooks and they can clean!”  
  
“If I wanted a housekeeper, I would hire one!”  
  
“And then the housekeeper would steal all your money and belongings. Hybrid pets are much more loyal and you don’t have to pay them a monthly wage, well, technically you could. And they can be more than a housekeeper, a friend or a family member.”  
  
“You sound like one of those guys from the advertisements on TV.” Woohyun rolled his eyes.  
  
Sungyeol laughed. “Well, not everything they say on TV is a lie. But let’s keep the talking for later. We can talk more at the shelter.”

  


  
The shelter they were going to was one of many. It was right outside of Seoul, close to a forest. Woohyun thought the landscape around here looked beautiful. Living here didn’t seem all too bad. It seemed like the perfect place for hybrids to grow up to, since they were partly animals after all and the nature was their home. Sungyeol stopped the car in front of a tall building. It had 3 stories and was painted in a nice, yellow color. It seemed like one of the hotels you could book in the countryside for a peaceful holiday.  
  
“It looks nice.”  
  
Dongwoo chuckled. “It's a nice place. One of the few nice ones. They treat them with respect, you know. Howon and Myungsoo are both from here. The owner looks after all of them like his own children.”  
  
The older man got out of the car first and Woohyun followed him. He breathed in the fresh air that was so much different from the smog inside the city. Now that he left the car, he could hear the sound of laughing children from the direction of the house. “But he still sells them off.”  
  
Sungyeol closed the car door and gave him a look. “Only because it’s the law and because he needs the money to feed the rest of them. This place needs to be financed somehow.”  
  
A high-pitched voice interrupted them. “Sungyeol-oppa! Dongwoo-oppa!”  
  
“Oh! Minzy-ah!” The two men let go of each other and a little girl jumped into Dongwoo’s arms. She had little pointy ears and a short tail, clearly a hybrid. Dongwoo laughed and lifted her higher, turning in circles and making the little girl scream in delight.  
  
“Are you going to take me home with you today?” Minzy asked with a light laugh.  
  
Dongwoo pouted. “I wish I could. You’re so cute, I want to eat you up!”  
  
The oldest man acted like he was going to bite her and the girl thrashed around in his grip while giggling. Woohyun watched the scene with an amused smile. There was no doubt that Dongwoo was good with kids. He’d probably like to take all of them home with him.  
  
“Maybe this oppa will take you home with him.” Sungyeol told her and pointed at Woohyun.  
  
The dark-haired man’s eyes widened, as the little girl in Dongwoo’s arms gave him an expectant look. “Handsome oppa!”  
  
He felt his face grow warm, feeling embarrassed by the compliment from the 5-year-old. She didn’t look much older than that. “I-I-“  
  
Once again he was interrupted. “Minzy! I told you not to run away.”  
  
They turned their heads and the little girl wriggled out of Dongwoo’s arms. “Oppa! I smelled Sungyeol-oppa and Dongwoo-oppa!”  
  
Woohyun looked at the person that had joined them outside the house. If he said his heart did not skip a beat, it would be a lie. It was a younger man with light-brown hair and pale skin. His eyes were slightly smaller than average, but Woohyun found them mesmerizing nevertheless. The big, orange ears coming out of his hair clearly identified him as a hybrid, but somehow he looked different than all the others. Maybe because he did not have that overly ethereal look most hybrids had. He was pretty without a doubt, but in a normal, human kind of way. To Woohyun he was more beautiful than Myungsoo, even if the whole country would disagree.  
  
“Woohyun!”  
  
And the light, pink lips that formed a pout as he scolded the little girl for running away. Woohyun wondered what kind of hybrid he was. How old was he? “Woohyun, close your mouth!”  
  
He snapped out of his dream world and looked at his friends, who gave him smug grins. “What?”  
  
“Nothing~”  
  
“Sunggyu-yah!” Sungyeol called out and the male hybrid’s attention switched from the girl to them. _His ears twitched. They frigging twitched!_  
  
He bowed respectfully, allowing Woohyun a short glance of the tail he owned, and smiled widely. “Welcome back, Sungyeol-hyung, Dongwoo-hyung. Are you here to play with the kids again?”  
  
“Yes and no. Our friend _Woohyun_ here is thinking of adopting someone. We want to show him around.” Woohyun wanted to protest, but the smile the male hybrid gave him, made him choke on his words.  
  
“Is that so? Welcome to our little home. Why don’t you come inside and meet them then? I’m Sunggyu by the way. I help Toni-ssi with all the work in the house.”  
  
“Handsome oppa! Take me!” Minzy tried again.  
  
Sungyeol leaned closer to Woohyun and whispered into his ear: “He’s a fox hybrid, hyung. Open for adoption.”  
  
He pushed the other away and gave him a glare. His expression softened when he looked back to Sunggyu. “I’m Woohyun and I’m really not looking for someone to adopt. I just got dragged here-“  
  
Dongwoo stepped on his foot and Woohyun noticed the way the fox hybrid’s face had fallen at his words. “Oh…then-“  
  
“Sunggyu-yah, why don’t you take Minzy to the others? We will follow with Woohyun in just a minute.”  
  
The fox seemed to hesitate for a second, but then he nodded and lifted the little girls into his arms. Woohyun watched them leave with an unexplainable feeling of guilt in his stomach. Sungyeol smacked his head. “What did you say that for?”  
  
He glared at the younger. “It’s the truth…”  
  
“God, you’re so insensitive!” Dongwoo commented.  
  
“Let’s just go inside. And don’t say that again, Woohyun! Some of them have waited for years for someone to come and take them away from here. You might not want to give them false hope, but it’s better than flat-out rejecting them. You may think buying them is bad and it makes them slaves, but they are basically just lonely orphans that are looking for a home. We’re not potential buyers, but potential family for them.”  
  
Woohyun looked at his shoes. “Sorry…”  
  
“Just make it up to them by playing with them for a while. They won’t expect to be taken home by you immediately. They’re thankful enough for the company.” Dongwoo told him and put an arm around his shoulder to drag him inside.  
  
His friends led him to a big playroom where a lot of hybrid children had gathered. There was a big glass door that led to the garden behind the house, where more children were playing around. Woohyun could see that they were of all kind of ages, but none of them seemed to be older than 12 or 13. It made him wonder if they weren’t my hybrids like Sunggyu around, ones that had already passed adulthood.  
  
“Handsome oppa! Play with me!” Tiny hands tugged on his pants and Woohyun looked down at Minzy. He glanced around to look for Sunggyu, but he wasn’t there. _Why are you looking for him? Just forget that fox!_  
  
Dongwoo smiled widely. “Of course this oppa will play with you. Have fun, Woohyun. We’ll see you later.”  
  
“Eh? Where are you going?” Woohyun looked at his friends with wide eyes, who seemed to be leaving the playroom.  
  
“We want to talk to Toni-ssi. Have fun~” Sungyeol waved at him.  
  
“Oppaaaaa!!” Minzy tugged harder on his pants and when Woohyun looked down, he saw that more kids had gathered around him.  
  
“Who are you?”  
  
“What’s your name, ahjussi?”  
  
“Will you take me home?”  
  
“Let’s play hide and seek!!”  
  
Woohyun groaned. He was seriously bad with kids.

 

  
“Ah…” He was lying on the porch with aching muscles and a big headache. The kids had totally exhausted him and for hours, he had played all kind of games with them. Now he had finally found a moment to escape the insanity and rested on the porch right outside the glass door.  
  
Woohyun could still hear the children and other adults playing around inside. Parents and singles had joined him there after a while to get to know the hybrids better, which had given him the opportunity to escape. He closed his eyes and let out another long sigh. “Where are Sungyeol and Dongwoo…”  
  
He yelped in surprise when something cold touched his cheek. “Oh! I’m sorry! I just-“  
  
Woohyun opened his eyes and his breath hitched for a second, because Sunggyu’s face was hovering over his. The fox was crouching on the porch next to him with a can of ice tea in his hand. “I just thought you could use something to drink. I didn’t mean to scare you…”  
  
The hybrid looked so serious and apologetic that Woohyun just had to laugh. Sunggyu’s eyes widened and the dark-haired man smiled in amusement. “You didn’t scare me, don’t worry. Thanks for bringing me that. I really need something to drink.”  
  
He sat up carefully and they ended up sitting next to each other on the porch. Woohyun could see the tail clearly now. The fur of his tail was darker than his ears. It was a mix of dark brown and the familiar orange color. It looked very soft and the short hairs seemed thin. His fingers itched with the need to touch it, but instead he grabbed the can and opened it. He sipped on the ice tea and hummed in appreciation. “This is perfect.”  
  
The fox hybrid finally smiled again. “Thank you for playing with them. I know they can be quite a handful.”  
  
Woohyun chuckled. “Yeah. Good thing I wasn’t alone.”  
  
There was a short pause. “Shouldn’t you be inside with the others? Talking to them and…stuff?”  
  
He pointed his head at the adults that were playing with the kids and getting to know them. Sunggyu followed his gaze shortly and shook his head. “Nah…I’m too old for that.”  
  
The fox smiled at him, but it did not look very convincing. It made Woohyun wonder about the meaning of his words. He noticed Sunggyu nervously playing with his fingers on his lap. Silence engulfed them once again, as Woohyun tried to think of something to say. Sunggyu didn’t seem to mind his silence, though. They just sat there and looked at the garden that was bathed in the light of the sun. The children were all inside to meet their potential guardians, everyone but Sunggyu.  
  
“Will you come again?”  
  
Woohyun looked to his right and saw the hybrid staring at him with expectant eyes. It reminded him a bit of the eyes of the children inside. The glimmering hope that was mixed with a hint of sadness. Sunggyu asked him, because he _wanted_ him to come. He could see that the fox wanted him to say yes. Did Sunggyu like him? Did he think Woohyun would take him home? Or was he asking for the sake of the children?  
  
“I-“  
  
“Sunggyu-hyung!” A little boy interrupted them and Woohyun cursed himself silently for taking his time to answer.  
  
The fox stood up and looked at the boy. “What is it, Ken?”  
  
“They’ll take me home with them! They finally said yes!” The boy told him with a wide grin and he pointed at a couple standing inside.  
  
Woohyun observed the fox hybrid as he smiled widely. Why did it seem like a forced smile? Half broken and lonely. “That’s good for you.”  
  
“Come with me, hyung! We should ask them to take you too! I want hyung to come with me!” Ken grabbed Sunggyu’s hand and pulled him inside. The fox seemed conflicted and threw a glance at Woohyun, but the older man averted his gaze. It was good if Sunggyu found a family, right? He didn’t want to keep Sunggyu from finding a home. Who was he to do that? Woohyun could not take him home.  
  
He headed back inside too. There seemed to be more children that had found someone to take them home. Woohyun felt happy for them, although he had only known them for a few hours. But Sungyeol and Dongwoo were right. They were just like normal kids, orphans, looking for a family to take them in. The people visiting were nice families too. Parents that could not have their own child or wanted a play partner for their kid. Woohyun could see that they were not here to buy a slave. This was not his world, though. He could not even care for himself. How could he ever take care of a kid? He wasn’t even good with them. And it would it not be weird to let a kid take care of you?  
  
His eyes met with Sunggyu’s. Woohyun knew all of his excuses would not work for Sunggyu’s case. He was definitely younger than him, but seemed to be able to take care of himself. He could probably cook and do all the other things that hybrids were fantastic at. He seemed perfect. But why was someone so perfect still stuck in this place?  
  
“Yo, Woohyun-hyung!”  
  
His head snapped around and he saw Sungyeol and Dongwoo standing at the entrance of the room. He stormed to them. “You two! You ditched me here!”  
  
“Hehe! But you had fun, didn’t you?” Sungyeol said with a grin.  
  
“Did you find someone you like?” Dongwoo asked and wiggled his eyebrows.  
  
Woohyun glanced back to the fox for a second, but saw that he was busy talking to the parents that wanted to adopt Ken. _They’ll treat him well. Better than you can. Remember you don’t need someone, Woohyun._ He tore his eyes away and walked past his friends. “No. In fact, I have a headache and my muscles hurt and I want to go home.”  
  
He headed straight for the car, ignoring any questions from his friends. Woohyun didn’t know why he was in such a bad mood suddenly, but he was. He sat down on the backseat, refusing to talk. Sungyeol and Dongwoo seemed to have finally given up trying to start a conversation, when they drove off the premises.  
  
 _“Will you come again?”_  
  
Woohyun leaned his head against the window. _He’ll be happy with them._

  


 

Weeks passed, but he couldn’t stop thinking about Sunggyu. Woohyun had returned to his usual lifestyle of working and going to clubs to have fun. He met with people, hooked up with some and had fun, but when he was back in his apartment, he could not stop wondering.  
  
Wondering, how it would be to open the door and be greeted by Sunggyu’s smile. _“Welcome home, Woohyun!”_

Wondering, how nice it would be to eat Sunggyu’s self-made dinner instead of an instant ramen. _“How does it taste, Hyunnie? Good?”_  
  
Wondering, how good it would feel to cuddle on the couch with him, to stroke his soft fur with his fingers until the fox was sleeping in his arms.  
  
Woohyun groaned and glanced at the clock on the wall. He turned the TV on mute and grabbed his phone. He dialed Dongwoo’s number after a moment of hesitation. He hung up and re-dialed about five times, before Dongwoo was quick enough to answer the call before he could end it. “Woohyun! Stop calling and hanging up!”  
  
“Sorry.” He licked his lips nervously and stared at the ceiling. Silence engulfed them.  
  
“Uhm…Woohyun?”  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“YOU called ME. Say something!”  
  
“It’s just- uuuh….I ate pizza today.” Woohyun facepalmed himself.  
  
Dongwoo didn’t buy it – of course. “Woohyun, tell me what’s wrong.”  
  
“Just wanted to see how you’re doing.”  
  
“Is this about Sunggyu?”  
  
“….”  
  
“Oh my god, Howon! I knew it! I KNEW IT!” Woohyun held the phone away from his ear, as loud, screeching noises resounded. Dongwoo was squealing and Woohyun was glad no one could see how red he was getting.  
  
“Oh, shut it, Dongwoo!”  
  
“We knew you two would get along! This is so cute! I have to tell Sungyeol!” Woohyun felt his ears grow hot.  
  
“Don’t tell him! Geez! Calm down! I just wanted to ask if you’ve been at the shelter again and ask how everyone is doing. It’s not because I like him or anything like that! He’s gone already anyways…not that I care.”  
  
“Yeah, _right_. Well, to your information: all the kids are doing well.  Sunggyu has been looking kind of down the last weeks, though. I wonder why. Maybe, because a certain someone promised to come again, but then just disappeared-“  
  
“I didn’t promise anything!” He sat up straight. “Wait. He’s still at the shelter?”  
  
Dongwoo hummed shortly. “Ken’s parents didn’t want to take him home. Just like everybody else. Woohyun, he’s…he’s been there longer than anyone else. When we took Myungsoo and Howon home with us, he lost the only playmates around his age. We still feel bad for that…”  
  
There was a sigh on the other end of the line. “Sunggyu has had people that wanted to take him home, but in the end, he would always be abandoned. He deserves to have a home more than any of the other kids. We thought that you two would be perfect for each other. We like him a lot and we like you a lot. I would take him in if I could, but I’ve got my hands full with Howon and Sunggyu deserves more than pity. He really likes you, you know. We saw him watching you play with the kids, but he just watched from the distance. He’s like that. He stands back and let’s the younger kids have a chance. Sunggyu is not five anymore. He can’t come over and tug on your pants to ask you for your attention, but he really wanted it. We saw that and we thought maybe you noticed it too.”  
  
Woohyun stared at the wall. He could imagine the fox standing in a corner, his fingers and tail twitching because he wants to play with the visitors too, but holding back because he’s older and he is supposed to act different – more mature. Always smiling when one of the kids finds a home, but silently breaking apart with jealousy and loneliness. “He really wanted me to come again…”  
  
“He did. Sunggyu wanted to go home with you. He still wants to. Give him a chance, Woohyun.”  
  
“But we barely know each other-“  
  
“Woohyun, I swear, if you keep looking for excuses, I’m coming over to throw you out of the window. Do you want to get to know him?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Then this phone call is over. You know what you have to do. Don’t make him sad, Woohyun.” Dongwoo hung up and the dark-haired man sighed.  
  
He took a piece of paper and a pen.  
  
 _Reasons not to buy Sunggyu:_

 

_1)_  
  
“Ah, fuck this!” Woohyun cursed and stood up. He put on his shoes and jacket, before grabbing his car keys.  
  


  
  
“Do you wish to see a certain kid or are you just here to look around?” The woman at the reception desk asked him.  
  
Woohyun wiped his sweaty hands on his pants. “S-Sunggyu. Is he here?”  
  
She stared at him for a moment, seemingly unsure what to say. Then she smiled. “Sunggyu! Oh, yes, he is! He’s in the kitchen with a few kids to teach them baking. Are you sure? I mean- you want to see him?”  
  
Woohyun smiled, feeling oddly shy and nervous. “Yeah…”  
  
“I’ll get him.” The woman walked around her desk with a wide smile and walked – ran – down the corridor. “Sunggyu-yah~! You have a visitor!”  
  
A door at the end of the hall opened and Sunggyu poked his head out. Woohyun saw her talking to him and then pointing in his direction excitedly. The fox hybrid followed her gaze and his eyes widened when he spotted Woohyun. The older man raised his hand awkwardly to wave at him. A smile spread on Sunggyu’s face and Woohyun couldn’t help but fall for it. He couldn’t help feeling like he had made the right decision in coming here. Seeing Sunggyu’s honest smile was worth it. Not to mention that he had all kind of ingredients all over his face, especially flour.  
  
Before he knew, Sunggyu had crossed the distance between them with a fast spring, jumping right at him. Woohyun hastily extended his arms and caught the hybrid. Sunggyu clung to him like a little kid, unable to hide his happiness over his return. “You’re back! You’re really here!”  
  
He stood there awkwardly, unsure what to do. Sunggyu was soft and warm against him, smelling like honey and sugar. Woohyun was overwhelmed by his reaction. _He’s seriously happy that I came back._ He knew that by the way Sunggyu put all his strength into the hug, as if to make sure he was really there. It was cute and moving. And Woohyun could not help but imagine being greeted like this more often – with genuine happiness.  
  
“Oh!” Sunggyu suddenly stepped away from him. “I’m sorry…I covered you in flour…I shouldn’t have…”  
  
The fox started playing with his fingers again and his head hung low in shame. Was he scared Woohyun would turn him away now, because he had acted like a child? The older man smiled and reached out a hand. He rested it on Sunggyu’s head and ruffled his hair. The light-brown locks felt like soft fur between his fingers. Woohyun would really like to touch them more often.  
  
“Don’t apologize. I’m not mad. You never have to apologize for being yourself around me.” Sunggyu was older than any of the kids here, but Woohyun realized that he was still a child inside. He seemed mature, but he was just an innocent kid at heart that wanted someone to genuinely like him for who he was.  
  
He looked up at Woohyun again and the older man let go of his hair. “Thank you…”  
  
“For what? I told you it’s okay-“  
  
“For coming back.” Sunggyu blushed and averted his gaze. _Cute._  
  
They stood there awkwardly, exchanging shy smiles and obviously not knowing how to continue the conversation, until the voices of children resounded. “Sunggyu-oppa!”  
  
“Hyung!”  
  
The fox hybrid turned around and they spotted some of the children outside the kitchen. They were covered in ingredients as much as Sunggyu was. “Aren’t you coming back? We still have to finish the cupcakes!”  
  
Sunggyu glanced at Woohyun. “Oh...oppa is busy. Maybe we can do it later?”  
  
“It’s okay.” The older man said. “You shouldn’t keep the kids waiting.”  
  
“But you’re here…”  
  
“I can help out if you want. I can’t cook, but I’m pretty good at baking.”  
  
“Really?” Sunggyu’s sad expression turned into a happy one again. “It’s not a bother?”  
  
“Not at all.” _I just want to spend time with you._  
  
Woohyun was pretty sure that if the hybrid were a dog, his tail would be wagging like crazy, but instead it was only curled slightly behind Sunggyu’s back. “Okay, but if it gets too much, just say the word.”  
  
 _It’s just a bunch of children. It can’t be that bad._

 

  
_It was bad. The kitchen was a huge, chaotic battlefield and Woohyun was right in the middle. There were only 5 kids, but they made noise and dirt like a hundred. It didn’t take more than a few minutes until he looked similar to everyone else. Woohyun didn’t mind it much, though. After all he got to enjoy this together with Sunggyu and the hybrid had the patience of a saint. Woohyun did his best not to snap at the children and after a few tries and errors, he loosened up and seriously helped the kids with their cupcakes. At the beginning, he simply found the children annoying and a bother, but Sunggyu’s love for the children had infected him._  
  
  
  
They started cleaning the kitchen when all the cupcakes were in the oven. Of course, most of the cleaning was done by Sunggyu and Woohyun. The fox hybrid cleaned with a speed that made the older man stare in awe. _I guess you practice a lot with so many kids in the house…_  
  
“Woohyun-hyung!”  
  
He stopped wiping the counter and glanced at the little boy to his right. “Please don’t tell me you’ve spilled all the flour again.”  
  
The boy shook his head. “I like you, hyung.”  
  
Woohyun raised a brow. The other kids ran over to them. “Me too! Me too!”  
  
He heard Sunggyu laugh. “Someone’s popular.”  
  
“Woohyun-hyung, are you going to take Sunggyu-hyung home with you?” One of the boys asked him suddenly.  
  
“Please adopt our oppa!” A girl added in excitement and the kids surrounded him like an overly energetic mob of squirrels.  
  
“He can cook well and clean! And also crochet and knit!”  
  
“His fur is really soft!”  
  
“I’ll miss Sunggyu-oppa, but you can have him!”  
  
“Kids! Stop it!” The fox hybrid cut in and pulled them away from Woohyun. His cheeks were rosy as he chased them away. “You are bothering him!”  
  
Woohyun smiled at the scene. “They’re not bothering me, Sunggyu. Actually, I…I think I want to…to…take you home with me.”  
  
He stared at his shoes. Woohyun originally wanted to say ‘I want to get to know you better’. He felt his face grow hot in embarrassment. _You didn’t ask him to marry you! Why are you embarrassed?!_ He looked up when there wasn’t a reaction.  Sunggyu seemed to be frozen with his eyes wide open. When their gazes met, he seemed to snap out of his trance.  
  
“I-Excuse me for a moment…” The fox rushed out of the kitchen in a hurry and Woohyun felt his heart breaking. _I thought that was what he wanted?_  
  
“Did I do something wrong?” He muttered, not really expecting an answer from the kids.  
  
“Do you really want to take him home with you, oppa?”  
  
He looked into her big, yellow eyes. “Yes, Sunmi. You don’t believe me?”  
  
“People have said they’ll take him home before, but they never did. They chose another kid or didn’t come back…I really want Sunggyu-oppa to find a home.”  
  
“Hyung, go after him.” One of the boys tugged on his pants, trying to pull him out of the kitchen.  
  
Woohyun let the boy lead him out of the kitchen. The little hybrid pulled him down another corridor and pointed at a door. “This is Sunggyu-hyung’s room.”  
  
“Thank you, Hongbin.”  
  
The boy left him alone and he hesitantly knocked on the door. “Sunggyu, are you in there?”  
  
Of course there wasn’t an answer. Woohyun looked left and right, but he was all alone on the floor. “I’m coming inside, Sunggyu-yah.”  
  
He opened the door and the rustling of fabric was heard. Woohyun closed the door behind himself and chuckled when he saw the little mound on the bed. Sunggyu had thrown the blanket over himself to hide from him. He smiled and took his time to look around the room. There were a few posters in the wall. Some of them were from children’s movies or series and extremely old and used, but one or two were newer. There were two shelves full of books and a desk with a little lamp. It looked like a cozy room. Similar like that of a teenager at any average home.  
  
Sunggyu seemed to have lost to his curiosity, as Woohyun saw his face peeking out from under the blanket. He hastily hid again when their gazes met, though. “Why are you hiding?”  
  
He walked towards the bed and sat down on the edge. “Is it because of what I said? That I want to take you home with me?”  
  
There was a short movement under the blanket and Woohyun thought it must have been a nod. “Do you not want to live with me?”  
  
A hectic movement and the face peeked out again. Woohyun’s heart clenched at the sight of how red and teary his eyes looked. “Hey, talk to me.”  
  
He reached out tentatively to brush the few strands of hair that could be seen. Sunggyu didn’t flinch away. “Did you mean it?”  
  
Woohyun didn’t need long to understand his question. “I do. I never thought I would say that, but I really do. I’ve been thinking about you these past weeks, wondering if that family was treating you well…”  
  
The fox averted his gaze. “They didn’t want me. No one does.”  
  
“ _I_ want you.” He spoke firmly.  Woohyun pushed his hand under the blanket to stroke more of Sunggyu’s soft hair. It was sort of an addictive feeling. The hair was way softer than that of any human he knew. It reminded him of the fur little bunnies had.  
  
“But you barely know me. Maybe you’ll change your mind…”  
  
Woohyun smiled. “What can I do to convince you?”  
  
“Stay with me.” The hybrid mumbled shyly and averted his gaze again.  
  
He brushed the blanket from Sunggyu’s head and massaged the scalp slowly. “Sure. Do you want to talk? Should I tell you about myself?”  
  
Sunggyu nodded enthusiastically and Woohyun scratched him behind the ear with a soft laugh. The fox seemed to like what he did, as he smiled and closed his eyes. “Tell me.”  
  
“Well, you could say I’m an orphan like you. My parents died a few years ago.”  
  
“Sorry…” The fox muttered.  
  
“It’s fine. I’m over it. What else…I’m 26 years old. What about you?”  
  
“20.”  
  
“Really? You look younger than that!” Woohyun mused. Maybe the fox seemed younger because he was so adorable?  
  
“What is your job?”  
  
“Oh, actually, I just have a boring desk job at an office. Our company sells electronic devises like TVs, Blu-ray players or Laptops. I’m working as a controller there.” It was not a very interesting job, but at least it paid well and it wasn’t far from his apartment.  
  
Sunggyu hummed, his eyes still closed and his expression peaceful. Woohyun was glad the hybrid did not seem disappointed with his job. “So you like numbers?”  
  
“Well, we get along. I would not call it like, though. What about you? What do you like?”  
  
“Books. I like to read. Do you read?”  
  
“Rarely.” Woohyun glanced at the shelves full of books. “Do you have a favorite author?”  
  
Sunggyu opened his eyes and smiled. “Carlos Ruíz Zafon. He’s from Spain.”  
  
“Haven’t heard of him.”  
  
The fox laughed. “I would’ve been seriously surprised if you did.”  
  
“Do you want to visit Spain one day?” He asked next and Sunggyu shrugged under the blanket.  
  
“Isn’t it too hot there?”  
  
Woohyun smiled. “So you don’t like the heat? I guess you’re not a dessert fox.”  
  
Sunggyu pursed his lips and looked up at him. “I’m a red fox. I don’t like too much warmth. It makes my fur itch.”  
  
The hybrid averted his gaze again and Woohyun chuckled. “Well, I prefer winter too.”  
  
“Really?”  
  
“Yeah. What about your favorite food?”

 

  
And that’s how it went on and on. They asked each other questions for hours, exchanging information in a comfortable atmosphere. Maybe a bit too comfortable, since Sunggyu fell asleep after a while. It could be that Woohyun’s constant massaging of his scalp was at fault – or his boring answers – but in the end, the reason didn’t matter. He was rather unsure of what to do now, though. He had come to the shelter with the spontaneous decision to take Sunggyu home, but now the fox was asleep without giving Woohyun a clear answer. The older man thought their talk might change his opinion, show him that his spontaneous decision was a bad one, but instead he only wanted to take the sleeping hybrid home even more. They got along so well. Sunggyu was an honest and warm character – it seemed impossible not to like him. Woohyun wondered why no one had seen that in all these years. He was an innocent child despite his age. It was fun to talk to him, filled Woohyun up with warmth and a familiar feeling of home.  
  
He had always thought living alone was enough. Woohyun never really admitted to himself how lonely he was. But after his meeting with Sunggyu, he could not stop thinking about what it would be like. There was no doubt that the hybrid would bring a bit more light into his dull life. The thought of having someone at home seemed so tempting now. He had never wanted someone like Howon or Myungsoo, but Sunggyu was different from them. He was more close to a human. Woohyun always thought hybrids would hate to be bought, hate the fact that they were only goods to be sold. But Sunggyu was genuinely looking for a home. The happiness he showed to Woohyun today – it was not something that could be faked.  
  
“I guess I should thank Sungyeol and Dongwoo for dragging me here.” He mumbled deep in thought, while his fingers still stroked the soft hair slowly. “You really deserve a home. Can I give you that? Will I be able to grant you happiness? I can’t even take care of myself.”  
  
Woohyun watched the sleeping figure with worried eyes. Taking Sunggyu home would be one thing, but he’d have to take care of him properly – buy food or clothes for him, give him the opportunity to see different places. He wasn’t poor, thankfully, but it still was a bit scary to think of the responsibility. Did the fox hybrid really want to go with him or was he just a good opportunity to get out of the shelter? Doubts filled him up as he watched the fox sleep.  
  
“Guess we shouldn’t go too fast, huh? I can still take you home tomorrow or so – if you want.” Woohyun knew he was talking to himself, but he couldn’t stop doing it nevertheless. “I’m leaving first, Sunggyu-yah.”  
  
He stood up, but Woohyun didn’t get far. A hand grabbed the hem of his shirt when he wanted to leave. He looked to the fox in surprise, but Sunggyu still seemed to be asleep. A gentle smile formed on his lips. “Cute…”  
  
“Are you scared that I’m going to leave and won’t come back?” Woohyun mused. He loosened the grip on his hem, but the fox made a clear noise of distress.  
  
He grabbed his crinkled cap from his pocket and put it on the pillow, placing Sunggyu’s empty hand over it. The hybrid’s hand held onto it immediately and then Sunggyu rolled over on his other side, taking the cap with him. Woohyun leaned over him and caught the fox with the cap close to his nose and a peaceful expression again. He patted the head once more. “Take this as a promise, okay? I’ll be back for sure.”  
  
He hesitantly walked away from the sleeping figure – after taking a picture of him of course – and retreated from the room. Woohyun closed the door with as little sound as possible, though he almost screamed out loud when he turned around and looked right into someone’s face.  
  
“Oh my g- who are you?”  
  
“I should ask you that! You’ve been in there with my protégé for quite a while. My name is Toni. I’m the owner of this place.”  
  
He blinked slowly, then his eyes widened. Woohyun gave him a quick bow. “I’m sorry. We haven’t met before. I’m Nam Woohyun. I…well…Sunggyu-“  
  
“My colleague told me you are interested in buying him. Why don’t we go to my office for a moment?” Toni suggested and walked ahead without waiting for his answer.  
  
Woohyun followed him with a short sigh. The office turned out to be a rather cozy room with a desk, two chairs and a little couch, some shelves and a chimney. It looked nice and warm like the rest of the house that Woohyun had seen so far. Toni sat down behind the desk. “Before we even talk about money or anything – are you serious about taking him home with you? He’s not like the other hybrids, although he’s quite talented, but he is what scientists would call a failed experiment.”  
  
He felt a mix of anger and fear. “ _A failed experiment_?”  
  
Sunggyu was not a failed experiment. He was unique and simply wonderful. “Not my words, Woohyun-ssi. You know the traits of hybrids. The best known trade of their kind is the perfect look. Perfect face proportions…no blemishes. Sunggyu doesn’t have that. He’s not ugly, god, he’s far away from that and we both know it, but compared to other hybrid’s he’s simply average. His face isn’t perfect, as well as his skin. Scientists called him a defect and people avoided taking him home because of that. He’s not what they expected. As a child he got compared to others and lost to them, now he’s too old and the adults don’t pay attention to him anymore. I only ask you to look past his flaws and see him for who he really is – a wonderful child. I’ve seen him disappointed far too many times and-“  
  
“Toni-ssi.” He interrupted the other. Woohyun put on a confident smile. “Sunggyu is perfect, in both personality and looks. As you said, he might be considered a defect or ugly for some, but I’ve never liked how hybrids looked too perfect, too artificial. Sunggyu is just…Sunggyu. I really like him and I perfectly understand why you and everyone else are so protective of him. I really intend to take him home with me if he agrees.”

The owner nodded. “I’m glad you think like that, Woohyun-ssi. But if possible, I’d like it if you could come a few times more before you take him home with you. I’m not doubting you, but it will give Sunggyu and you some time to get used to the change in your lives. You’ll have a few things to prepare too, since we have to check that he can really live with you. We don’t just give our kids to anyone. Once that is off the table and both of you still agree, we can sign the contract.”  
  
“Of course, I understand that.”  
  
“Did you have another hybrid before Sunggyu?”  
  
“No, actually, I never wanted to buy- I mean adopt- one. I thought it was like buying a slave, holding someone against their will and use them to clean your shit and stuff.” Hoya and Myungsoo had never seemed like slaves to him, but well, Woohyun just thought his friends were the only ones treating hybrids like that.  
  
Toni sighed and folded his hands on the table. “Which is what they are, in most people’s eyes. For me, they are children. Homeless children that want to be adopted by a nice family and I only let people who think the same into the shelter. I don’t sell them as slaves. I’d take no money if I could, but these little mouths need to be fed.”  
  
“Aren’t they sad or angry, though? The hybrids I mean. They are made artificially just to be sold to us humans. Don’t they hate doing our work for us?” Woohyun asked the older man. He had never asked anyone that, but Toni seemed like an open-minded and friendly person. He was someone that knew a lot about hybrids and would give him an honest answer.  
  
The owner of the shelter gave him a sad smile. “It’s heartbreaking, actually. No, they don’t hate us. They can’t. Most of them will never be able to grasp that how they are treated is unfair. Their docile and submissive nature was written down in their genes. They want to help us, want to do our laundry or cook. It fills them with happiness and satisfaction. If you tell them it’s wrong or not to do it, they won’t understand it. I try teaching them some things here early, but it’s not an easy task to make them understand our world.”  
  
The truth hurt more than he thought. He didn’t know why, because not knowing was surely easier for the hybrids to handle. But from his perspective…hybrids like Sunggyu had gotten their freedom of thinking taken away from them without a choice. They didn’t even know that they should’ve had a choice. They only knew one reality. Born to serve.  
  
He clenched his fists. “How can we support this?”  
  
Toni looked back at him. “We don’t. Not anymore. It’s not official yet, I think, but the experiments will be put to a stop. God knows for how long, but there will be no new hybrids for a while. The opposing fraction of the hybrid experiment supporters wants to give the freedom back to all the existing hybrids, but I’ve been in this ‘ _business_ ’ long enough to know that is not possible. You can’t give them something they don’t understand. They won’t know what to do with it, even feel sad for being rejected suddenly. Because that is what they will feel if you tell them not to do the work anymore, to live their own life, they’ll feel rejected. We can only try to get them away from those that abuse their existence, so that they can lead a _happy_ life. I will make sure each and every single one of the children here will have a safe home.”  
  
Woohyun smiled weakly. “You’re a good man, Toni-ssi. It’s good to hear that. Thank you for telling me all of this.”  
  
“No problem, young man. I want you to treat Sunggyu right after all. He’s my biggest worry right now. He gets attached to people really easily, because of his nature. He wants to be needed by someone, but Sunggyu got rejected quite often. The years have only made him more desperate, but I’m actually glad that he is focused on you now. You seem like a proper young man and your friends think highly of you.”  
  
“Friends?” His eyes widened.  
  
“Yes, Sungyeol and Dongwoo. And any friend of them is welcome here. I’m sorry for putting you through this little test. They told me a lot about you, but I wanted to see for myself what kind of person you are. I couldn’t hope for someone better for my oldest protégé. You’ll still need to come here a few times more, but you have my blessings, boy.”  
  
 _Sungyeol and Dongwoo! Damn you two! What did you tell him?_ “Are you sure? I mean I haven’t taken care of even a mice before, I can’t even care for myself properly-“  
  
Toni laughed and stood up, walking around the desk to his side. “And that’s why you’ll be good for Sunggyu. He’ll be happy to take care of you. He may be half animal, but he won’t just wither away if you don’t give him food or water. Have faith in yourself and in him.”  
  
“Thank you, Toni-ssi.” Woohyun stood up and shook his hand. “Please tell Sunggyu that I will be back tomorrow after work.”  
  
“I will. Have a safe drive home and if you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to call me.”  
  
Woohyun nodded and then he left the office again, finally heading home. He thought about checking Sunggyu’s room again, but decided against it. Maybe he’d change his mind about waiting when he saw him sleep. _Good night, Sunggyu-yah._

 

 

 

He’s late the next day, because a huge problem had popped up at work 30 minutes before he could’ve gone home. He got stuck in traffic too, making him more than an hour late for his next meeting with Sunggyu. Woohyun just hoped the younger hybrid would not hold it against him.  
  
The fox was waiting for him right at the entrance of the shelter. Woohyun wondered for how long he had been sitting there, as he got out of his car and walked over to him. Sunggyu was wearing the cap that he left behind yesterday. It looked a little weird, since his ears disappeared below it and the hybrid looked just like any other human – well, except for the fact that the cap was moving a bit, probably from the squeezed fox ears beneath.  
  
Sunggyu stood up as he spotted him and the older man almost tripped over his own two feet when the fox smiled at him.  “Woohyun! You are late!”  
  
“I know! How long have you been waiting for me?”  
  
The hybrid lowered his head, kicking a pebble away with his left foot. “Not long.”  
  
 _Which probably means he has been waiting hours._ He reached out to touch his hair, then stopped and hesitated for a moment before resting his hand on top of the cap. He felt the fox ears fluttering below the tip of his fingers. “Did you think I wouldn’t come?”  
  
“You said you’d take me home with you, but I woke up alone in my bed.” The younger man puffed his cheeks. “Toni-ssi only said you will come after you’re done with work…”  
  
Woohyun laughed. “Did you think I would whisk you away at the dead of night while you’re sleeping? I’ll take you home with me. I promised you, didn’t I? I left you my cap as proof of that. We should take one step at a time, though. Toni-ssi also wants me to come more often before I can take you home with me.”  
  
He adored the light pink flush that covered Sunggyu’s cheeks. “Doesn’t the cap hurt your ears? You can take it off-“  
  
“No!” Sunggyu swatted his hands away and danced up the stairs with swift steps. “I’m keeping it until you keep your promise. Are you hungry, Woohyun?”  
  
He blinked. “Yeah…a bit.”  
  
The fox smiled. “I’ll get food for you. We can eat on the porch.”  
  
Woohyun followed him inside. “Go ahead to the porch. I’ll follow!”  
  
Sunggyu hurried off towards the kitchen and the older man thought he heard him mumble something like ‘Stupid Toni!’. Woohyun chuckled quietly and walked towards the porch. There were no kids around this time, as perhaps it was too late already. A peaceful silence lay on the shelter and Woohyun sat down on the porch with a content sigh. The only light came from a little lamp on the house wall and the stars. He looked up at the sky. “Beautiful.”  
  
He turned his head when he heard footsteps approaching. Sunggyu crossed the play room with a wooden tray in his hands. Woohyun noticed that he didn’t have the cap on anymore, but instead it was now attached to his belt. _So he did take it off. I guess it must be uncomfortable for his ears._  
  
The fox put the tray on the wooden porch next to Woohyun and sat down beside it. Woohyun eyed the dishes on the tray with awe. There was a little plate with two sandwiches, a little bowl with what seemed to be soup, a peeled tangerine and a cup of warm tea. “Wow! Did you prepare that?”  
  
Sunggyu nodded eagerly. “I made the sandwiches and the miso soup myself. I thought you might be hungry.”  
  
“This is all for me?”  
  
Another nod. “Eat it before it gets cold.”  
  
His first meal prepared by Sunggyu. He sure as hell wasn’t going to waste the hybrid’s efforts. “Thank you, Sunggyu-yah.”  
  
The fox averted his gaze, playing with the cap on his lap. “Say that after you’ve tasted it. Maybe you’ll change your opinion on taking me home…”  
  
“I highly doubt that.” Woohyun tried the soup first. It was still hot, probably freshly heated up for him.  
  
It tasted amazing, though. Sunggyu really seemed to be an amazing cook, though that too was probably something that had been written down in his genetic code. Woohyun still found it amazing nevertheless. Honestly, he’d take Sunggyu even if the food tasted like shit. He wasn’t here to buy the perfect hybrid servant after all. What was he here for then? Woohyun wasn’t sure. Maybe to gain a friend, a little brother – maybe more. He only knew that it was nice to have Sunggyu around and he really wanted to help the fox out of here. The hybrid saw him as his beacon of hope and now Woohyun felt responsible not to let go of the tiny hand grabbing his shirt.  
  
He noticed Sunggyu staring at him intently, as he tried the soup and then the sandwiches. Woohyun could see that he desperately wanted to ask if the food was to his liking. He smiled inwardly and took his time eating. It was a bit mean, but it was fun to see the fox shift and fidget next to him nervously as he tried to keep the question in. Maybe that really was what Woohyun so liked about the other: it was clear that he wasn’t acting. Sunggyu had taken his time to cook this for him and now he wanted to be praised for it. He wondered shortly how much of it was his DNA and how much Sunggyu’s own personality. Somehow he understood why people had wanted to buy a hybrid so badly, back then when the hype started. It was a nice feeling to see someone depend on you so desperately. To see someone needing you so badly. It made him feel a little bad that he actually enjoyed seeing Sunggyu like this, all desperate for his love and attention.  
  
“It tastes wonderful, Sunggyu-yah.” He finally said after the soup was empty and one of the sandwiches gone.  
  
Sunggyu’s face lit up at his words. “Really? I’m glad!”  
  
“You don’t have to be so…anxious, you know. I’m not going to say no just because you can’t do something well.”  
  
The fox blinked. “Does it not taste good?”  
  
“No! It’s perfect. I just…I want you to relax around me. It’s okay not to be perfect at everything.” Woohyun tried to explain it to him.  
  
Sunggyu tilted his head to the side. “I want to be useful to you.”  
  
He took a breath. “I didn’t choose you because you’re useful. You didn’t choose me because I’m useful either, right?”

He swallowed, unsure how Sunggyu would answer his question. Woohyun felt a little anxious too. Did Sunggyu really want to go with him or was he just a convenient escape from the shelter? Was their connection only one-sided? Toni had said that the fox easily got attached to people, so what told Woohyun that he would not lose interest in him soon?  
  
“No…I like you. A lot.” Sunggyu mumbled shyly and the older man felt his heart flutter for a moment.  
  
“Well, I also like you. Not because you’re useful, you surely are, but you’re more than that. I want to take you home with me because you’re a great person. Heck, you’re probably a better person than me or any other human. You’re…wonderful, fascinating, kind-hearted-“ He stopped talking when he saw Sunggyu turning away from him.  
  
“Sunggyu-yah? What’s wrong?” Woohyun asked worriedly.  
  
He tapped the hybrid’s shoulder, but Sunggyu didn’t budge and still showed him his back. The fox only pulled his legs to his chest and buried his head in his arms. Woohyun went through the things he had just said. Had he hurt the other unconsciously? He lifted his hand and brought it back to the space between Sunggyu’s ears. They twitched at the touch and Woohyun softly stroked his hair. Doing this was something he could not stop. It was like an addiction. Sunggyu’s hair was as soft as feathers below his touch and Woohyun just wanted to keep his hand entangled with it forever.  
  
“I’m sorry if I hurt you-“  
  
“No!” The fox interrupted him. The ears twitched again, turning slightly downwards. “I’m just…ugh…I was embarrassed…”  
  
Woohyun’s eyes widened and then he laughed. He ruffled his hair with more vigor and the fox whined in protest. “Don’t laugh! People don’t…they don’t usually compliment me much. Except for my family here…”

“You better get used to it. I’m going to tell you how perfect you are every day, once you’re home with me.” Woohyun scratched him behind the right ear and he smiled happily, when the hybrid wriggled out of his hand’s grip.  
  
The fox finally turned to him again with a light touch of pink on his cheeks. “Thank you.”  
  
“You’re welcome, Sunggyu-yah. Say…what do you like about me? Why do you want to go home with me?” Woohyun held his breath as he waited for an answer.  
  
“Well, Sungyeol and Dongwoo told me a lot about you, before you came here.” The hybrid started, his gaze turned to the fidgeting hands in his lap. _God damn it, Lee Sungyeol and Jang Dongwoo! What were you doing telling everyone about me?!_ “They said your apartment is in a terrible state and that you don’t eat properly, because you spend too much time in clubs or at work.”  
  
He clicked his tongue. _Just you wait, Lee Sungyeol. I will see you at work!_ “But they also said that you’re honest and hard-working, nice and a really good friend. I was glad when they brought you over, because you were everything they had said. You took care of the kids, although they annoyed you. And you never seemed like you were looking down on us. I wanted to get to know you better, to catch your attention and maybe…maybe you would find me interesting enough. You left and I thought you would not return…that I failed. But you came back. That’s when I knew I wanted to come with you, I think.”  
  
Now it was Woohyun’s turn to avert his gaze. He glanced at the starry sky again. Sunggyu’s words moved him. It was getting cold outside, but he felt all warm and fuzzy inside. Meeting the fox was the best thing that happened to him in years. They were different, human and hybrid, but with Sunggyu it didn’t feel like that. He was no pet. Woohyun would not be able to have a conversation like that with a dog or cat. They had only had a few meetings so far, but he already proved to be a much better acquaintance than the people he sometimes met at the pub or club. He was unique.  
  
“Sorry I kept you waiting for so long. I wasn’t…I wasn’t planning on getting a pet – hybrid, I mean. I always felt content living alone and having few friends, eating whatever I could find in the fridge. I wasn’t that content, to be honest. I was lonely and I was jealous of Sungyeol and Dongwoo. Whenever I saw them together with Hoya and Myungsoo, they seemed so happy, complete somehow. I never told them that I was jealous of that. I never had that kind of connection with someone.”  
  
“But you want me?” Sunggyu asked him, his voice mirroring his hope and fear.  
  
Woohyun smiled. “Yeah. I think you can give me that happiness. It’s really strange.”  
  
The hybrid chuckled. “Well, I _am_ strange. Unnatural…”  
  
“You’re not strange or unnatural. You are special, Sunggyu. Look at me. I’m a boring human without any special talents!”  
  
Sunggyu smiled. “I guess that’s true. A little boring.”  
  
Woohyun gasped. “You were supposed to deny that!”  
  
He laughed to show that it was only a joke and the fox laughed along. Once they were done laughing, a comfortable silence embraced them again. Woohyun finished the food that Sunggyu had prepared for him. He shared half of the tangerine with the fox and then they continued talking for a bit more until it got too cold outside. They went back inside and reluctantly said goodbye to each other. Woohyun was surprised when the hybrid gave him another strong hug.  
  
“I want go home with you.” Sunggyu hid his face against Woohyun’s chest.  
  
“Hey, I won’t change my opinion, okay? You know what? It’s Saturday tomorrow. I will speak to Toni and if he agrees, I’ll take you home with me.”  
  
The fox looked up to him with surprisingly wide eyes, bright and glowing in excitement. Woohyun laughed shortly. “You’re really happy, aren’t you?”  
  
Sunggyu puffed his cheeks in reply. The older man poked them playfully and the fox stepped away from him. “Don’t make fun of me! I’ve…I’ve always waited for this…”  
  
Woohyun took him back into his arms, when he saw the tears filling Sunggyu’s eyes. He rubbed his back gently. “Ssh, don’t cry. I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you. If anything, I’m probably as excited as you are.”  
  
His heart clenched when he heard the soft sobs from the box. The smaller figure shook in his arms, tears wetting his shirt. Woohyun stroked the back of Sunggyu’s head. “Don’t be sad, Sunggyu. I’m sorry.”  
  
“I’m not sad…I just can’t believe this is happening. Sorry…just a minute, let me stay like this.” The hybrid mumbled against his chest.  
  
Woohyun felt relief at his words. He smiled and continued his comforting hand movements. “As long as you want.”  
  
He would give Sunggyu all the time he needed. Woohyun could not even begin to imagine what he must’ve gone through these past years. How often had he clung to someone like this in the past, before he had stopped dreaming of finding a new home? There was no way for him to know what it felt like to the hybrid. But he knew that it would be different from now on. Woohyun was sure that he wanted to take him home – now more than ever. His friends had been right about everything. Once you saw them and listened to their stories, you could not simply turn away again. Sunggyu had caught his heart and he was determined to give the fox a home.  
  
It seemed like far too soon when the fox recovered and pulled away. Woohyun could not help but reach out to wipe the last traces of tears away. “Better now?”  
  
“Better!” Sunggyu gave him a smile to show that he was okay. “I’m sorry for that.”  
  
“It’s fine. I told you to be yourself, though I hope this is the last time I have to see you cry.”  
  
The hybrid smiled. “I’ll try.”  
  
Sunggyu yawned suddenly and the older man ruffled his hair shortly. “You should go to bed. I bet you had a long day thanks to the kids. I’ll be back tomorrow, okay?”  
  
“Okay…drive safely.”  
  
Woohyun stepped away reluctantly and waved goodbye to the other. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Sweet dreams, Sunggyu-yah.”  
  
He walked away with a heavy heart. Never had going home to an empty apartment been harder.

 

  
  
Woohyun spent a lot of his Friday night and Saturday morning trying to get his place relatively clean - just in case that Toni allowed him to take Sunggyu home with him. He did not want the hybrid to get a shock upon entering his apartment and turn away again immediately with the wish to go back to the shelter. It was only when he was about to leave that Woohyun noticed something important: he only had one bed slash bedroom. He thought about that problem for a few minutes, before he decided that he would sleep on the sofa until they found another solution. Woohyun was sure that the fox would protest against that and insist on being the one sleeping on the sofa, but the older man would have none of that.

There was still the option of them sleeping in one bed.

His eyes widened and he shook his head. “What are you thinking? You’re not buying Sunggyu to sleep with him!”

Woohyun grabbed his jacket and the key bundle, before stepping out of his apartment. Every step felt like he was walking on clouds. The thought of taking Sunggyu home with him today filled him with happiness. He wanted to get him out of there so badly, not because the place was bad, but because Sunggyu would always have a shrink of doubt until Woohyun really took him. His phone vibrated as he sat down on the driver’s seat. Woohyun fished it out of his pocket and sighed when he saw Sungyeol’s name.  
  
 _\- Getting Sunggyu finally? That’s my boy!  
  Good luck, kekeke!_  
  
His mouth twitched. “What do you mean ‘my boy’?”  
  
 _\- Are you stalking me? How do you know?_  
  
\- _I installed a camera in your car._  
  
\- _You’re lying. I won’t fall for that!_  
  
\- _You are wearing the white shirt that makes your  
  tanned skin stand out. The one Dongwoo accidentally  
  landed ketchup on and you washed it until it was gone,  
  well, until you thought it was gone, but everyone knows  
  it is still there._  
  
Woohyun stared at the screen and then at the shirt he was wearing. He had a lot of white shirts, so Sungyeol could’ve guessed it. But the ketchup stain… “No, it’s gone…I checked it.”  
  
He checked his shirt again, but he just couldn’t find the stain. How can he meet Sunggyu with a dirty shirt? His phone vibrated again.  
  
\- _I was only joking. About the stain I mean.  
  Now unlock the car door for me._  
  
His eyes widened and he looked to the passenger side in shock, but there was no Sungyeol standing next to his car.  
  
\- _You really thought I was there, right? Hahaha.  
  You’re so cute, hyung. You always fall for my traps._  
  
Woohyun glared at his phone and threw it on the passenger’s seat. Why was he wasting his time with that dumb friend of his? Why did he even believe anything Sungyeol said anymore? He felt like an idiot for even considering Sungyeol having a camera in his car. His friend had only played with him – like always. It was time he got a real and genuine friend, like Sunggyu.  
  
He grabbed his phone once more. - _You are fired._

Now, that felt good.

  


  
The drive to the shelter seemed twice as long as normal, although Woohyun drove as fast as he could – possibly a little faster than allowed. He only slowed down after almost crashing into another car. It was hard to calm down, because he was so nervous, but he was of no help to anyone dead. Woohyun’s heart raced inside his chest, as he saw the familiar building appear in the distance. Hopefully, he had all important papers with him. He had come prepared, just in case that Toni allowed him to take Sunggyu home today. Neither of them wanted to wait and Woohyun would not change his opinion any day soon.  
  
Woohyun had not even parked the car completely when the fox already stormed out of the building. Some children followed after him and Woohyun laughed softly. At least he wasn’t the only one being impatient. He turned off the engine and got out of the car quickly. “Hello.”  
  
The children laughed and circled him with happy faces. Sunggyu stood behind them and waved shyly. Minzy pounced against his leg. “Handsome oppa! Sunggyu-oppa said you will take him home today!”  
  
“Take good care of our hyung!”  
  
“He likes sweet things the most!”  
  
“Can we see him from time to time?”  
  
The fox finally stepped in and tried to chase them away. “Now, now, kids! What did I tell you about bothering people?”  
  
“Don’t bother them!” They said in chorus.  
  
Woohyun smiled. It was moving to see how much the children were listening to him. Who would keep them in check once Sunggyu was gone? He felt a bit bad for taking the fox away from them. “They’re not a bother.”  
  
The hybrid gaped at him and then the little kids all started cornering him again. “Children! It’s time for lunch. Get back inside.”  
  
Woohyun looked back to the entrance and saw the lady from last time standing there. The mob of children dispersed and they all fled back inside happily. Sunggyu let out a relieved sigh. The older man laughed shortly. “I guess we’re saved?”  
  
She looked at them. “Toni-ssi told me to send you to his office, once you arrive. Sunggyu can bring you there. He wanted to speak to you two.”  
  
He swallowed. “Thank you.”  
  
They watched her leave and the fox finally came over to give him a hug. Woohyun smiled and stroked his back affectionately. “How did you sleep?”  
  
“I could not sleep. I was too nervous.” Sunggyu admitted.  
  
“Me too. I kept myself busy with cleaning the apartment and stuff.”  
  
The hybrid pulled back and puffed his cheeks. “You could’ve just waited until I could clean it.”  
  
He ruffled the soft hair playfully. “You will have enough chances to show off your skills, trust me. By the way, that is a cute yellow hoodie. It suits you.”  
  
Sunggyu’s face became red in an instant. The fox averted his gaze shyly. “T-Thank you. We should…should go see Toni-ssi.”  
  
He turned around and walked ahead with quick steps. Woohyun laughed quietly and followed him. _Too cute._ He caught up and walked next to Sunggyu, observing the fox as they headed towards Toni’s office. The hybrid seemed to avoid looking at him, but Woohyun caught him glancing at him more than once. How could a single person fill him with so much happiness? Sunggyu was more human than anyone he knew. A human that was perfect in his own, adorable, way.  
  
They stopped in front of the door and Sunggyu gave him an anxious glance that seemed to silently ask ‘Are you sure?’. Woohyun smiled and took his hand. “Let’s go. I can’t wait to show you my home.”  
  
He opened the door and pulled the younger man inside. Woohyun was nervous too, so it was best not to think about it for too long. “Hello, Toni-ssi.”  
  
“Hello, Woohyun. And Sunggyu.” He smiled at them and pointed at the sofa. “Take a seat.”  
  
They did as told and Toni said down opposite of them after getting a few papers. “I can see how impatient you two are, so I’m not going to beat around the bush. You can take him home with you today if you want.”  
  
Woohyun wanted to shout out in joy, but instead he sat there calmly and nodded. Toni continued. “I readied all the necessary paper work. You have to give me a few signatures here and there. We have checked your background and everything already, so there is no reason for us to reject your wish, especially since Sunggyu seems hell-bent on going with you. He even packed his things already.”  
  
The fox grumbled something next to him. Woohyun’s smile did the impossible and grew even wider. “Is that so? I’m glad to hear that.”  
  
“Sorry if I’m annoying you, but you are perfectly sure about this, right? Taking a pet home is a big responsibility, especially since Sunggyu is not a normal pet. But I’m guessing you have heard this lecture more than enough already.”  
  
He could feel the fox staring a hole into the side of his head. Woohyun squeezed his hand shortly. “I get it and yes, I am sure of it. I want to add Sunggyu to my family.”  
  
Toni nodded and spread the papers out on the table. Woohyun leaned over to look at them and he saw the hybrid do the same. It looked like any other contract and truthfully, there was so much text that it made his head swim. “You can read it calmly at home. It’s mostly taken directly from the hybrid protection law. Nothing bad I assure you, but if you want to be informed of the don’ts of hybrid keeping. For example, it is against the law to dump a hybrid somewhere when you lose interest or to kill them – and so on. Pretty logical stuff, normally, but trust me it has happened. They are just laws to protect them.”  
  
“Okay.” Woohyun said. He did not have a reason not to trust his words. He left his first signature at the end of what seemed like page 6.  
  
Another page was put on top. “This is Sunggyu’s birth certificate and his vaccination card – please don’t lose either one.”  
  
Woohyun picked it up and looked at it closer. _Born on April 28th, 1989._ There was even a baby photo attached and if he hadn’t been convinced of buying Sunggyu before, this would’ve pushed him over the edge. He looked like a doll, unlike most human babies that looked ugly and wrinkly after birth. Instead the baby had fair and smooth skin, a little mob of brown hair and the tails plus ears Woohyun already knew. He could not describe why the picture filled him with a bit of sadness. Maybe because the baby wasn’t crying. He was just lying there calmly like a doll, staring at the camera seemingly expressionless. There was no mother or father waiting to hold him in their arms. He was born alone. _Born from a test tube._  
  
He read the rest of the birth certificate carefully. It was obvious that scientists had written it and not a normal nurse. The writing lacked any kind of care or love. Woohyun also found the things Toni told him before on that paper. _Failed experiment._ He wanted to crumble the paper and throw it into a fire. He knew this was probably the moment where most potential parents of Sunggyu had backed out, because some scientists listed how this and that had not turned out as expected. Who even cared about that?  
  
“Woohyun?” He heard an anxious call to his left.  
  
The older man looked at Sunggyu. “Everything’s okay. I was just mad…how can they write that kind of stuff about you.”  
  
“But it’s true-“  
  
“No, it’s not! Don’t ever think so.” Woohyun rubbed the back of his neck. “I like you the way you are.”  
  
The ears of the fox twitched and a slight blush covered his cheeks. Toni laughed. “I see that Sunggyu will be in good hands with you. Here is the purchase agreement, Woohyun-ssi. Just two more signatures and we’ll be done.”  
  
Another paper was put in front of him and Woohyun looked over it carefully. There was nothing wrong with the contract as far as he could see. The only part that surprised him was the total sum of money that Sunggyu cost. It was quite a sum of money, of course, but it was way below what he had expected. Woohyun had even wondered if he might have to change his apartment to afford the hybrid. He looked at the owner of the shelter. “Are you sure about the price?”  
  
“I don’t take more money than I need. I’m not doing this for profit. I go as down as I can with the price. Any lower and I could be sued for giving them away at dumping price. Plus, you are friends with Sungyeol and Dongwoo.” Toni replied with a gentle smile.  
  
He felt like he should take more time to read the contract, but with Sunggyu’s gaze burning into him again, Woohyun knew that the fox could not wait any longer. “Thank you, Toni-ssi. I’m grateful.”  
  
“I’m the one who is grateful. Please take care of our Sunggyu well.” The owner stood up and gave him a deep bow.  
  
Woohyun stood up as well, feeling flustered by the gesture, and bowed as well. “I’ll do my best. Thank you for taking care of him for so long.”  
  
The rest of the procedure didn’t take long. Toni showed him where to sign and Woohyun did it without much thinking. He stared at the papers when he was done. _I did it. I bought him. I bought a hybrid._ “Congratulations, Woohyun-ssi. We are done with the paperwork. Sunggyu is now part of your family.”  
  
Two arms embraced him from the side and Woohyun smiled affectionately at the fox. He wrapped an arm around the other and stroked his back. “Remember your promise – no more tears.”  
  
The younger chuckled. “I’m yours now.”  
  
Woohyun felt a pang inside his chest at those words. _Mine. It sounds so strange. He’s mine._ “Y-Yeah.”  
  
“I’ll go make a copy for you, Woohyun-ssi.” Toni said, as he gathered the papers in his hands.  
  
He nodded. “Okay. I’ll help Sunggyu with his boxes in the meanwhile. Let’s get your stuff into my car, little fox.”  
  
Sunggyu was on his feet in the blink of an eye. Woohyun could see that all hints of fear and sadness had disappeared from his face. He seemed genuinely happy and more confident. Woohyun had signed the contract. He had kept his promise. The hybrid grabbed his hand and pulled him up impatiently. “Let’s go! Go, go!”  
  
“I’m coming!” He laughed as the fox dragged him out of the office. It filled him with happiness to see Sunggyu so energetic.  
  
His – old – room was really empty, except for the two boxes and a small bag. Everything Sunggyu owned was in that. It was a bit sad, since someone of his age should have way more stuff than that, but he had grown up in a shelter without much money after all. Woohyun had no doubt that most of his things were books and some clothes, but not much else. The older man would surely change that now. If Sunggyu wanted anything, he would buy it for him. Woohyun wanted to spoil his fox and give him all the happiness he deserved.  
  
It didn’t take long to carry everything to his car. Actually, they were finished after one round. Woohyun hung the bag over his shoulder and carried a box, while Sunggyu took the lighter box. Everything fit inside his car easily and it turned out to be quite good that the hybrid didn’t have more belongings. What took them much longer was saying goodbye. While the kids had been cheerful and encouraging before, they were crying waterfalls when Sunggyu bid them farewell. Woohyun only watched from the distance as they clung to him desperately, as Sunggyu gave each and every single one a hug and a promise to stay in contact. It was moving to see how much the children of the shelter loved their hyung. He was their older brother, probably even a father to some. Woohyun knew it must be hard for them to let Sunggyu go.  
  
Minzy appeared in front of him at some point, her eyes red and her nose running. “Handsome oppa, if you don’t take good care of Sunggyu-oppa, I will hunt you down!”  
  
The most adorable threat ever. Woohyun crouched down and ruffled her hair. “I’ll make him the happiest person on Earth, okay? I promise, princess. Make sure to find a good family too. That will make Sunggyu happier than anything else.”  
  
Minzy nodded, trying to keep her tears in. “Minzy-yah, come over here and give me a hug.”  
  
She immediately turned away and ran over to Sunggyu on her little feet. Once in his arms, the dam broke and Minzy joined the chorus of crying children. Woohyun sighed and leaned back to watch the scene once more. He would take Sunggyu home with him today. Nothing wrong with waiting a few minutes.  
  


  
In the end, they needed about three hours to leave. Saying goodbye had turned into eating lunch with everyone and then led to playing with the kids for a while. Woohyun loved the kids, but he was seriously happy when Sunggyu and he were finally seated in his car and ready to leave. It only needed one look to see that Sunggyu was now the one holding his tears back, when everyone from the shelter gathered in front of the building to wave at them.  
  
“Do you need more time?” Woohyun asked softly.  
  
Sunggyu lowered his gaze and shook his head. He patted the fox’s head.  “We can visit them again anytime.”  
  
He got an eager nod in reply and Sunggyu looked up again to give him a smile. “Thank you, Woohyun. We can leave. I’m okay.”  
  
The older man nodded and he waved one last time at the kids, before he started the engine and drove off. Since he was nervous about taking Sunggyu home, it took them quite a while to reach his apartment. Woohyun took a wrong turn twice, but of course he didn’t say it out loud. It was his luck that the fox didn’t know he was driving a huge detour. The drive was pretty much silent. Sunggyu seemed to be busy looking out of the window and taking the new surroundings in. Woohyun pointed some places out from time to time, but the hybrid already knew some sights from trips to the city. Toni had always taken him and the kids to the city once a month to buy stuff or simply to play around. Woohyun would make sure that Sunggyu saw more of Korea from now on, not only one city. There was so much to show him, so much to tell him about.  
  
“We’re here.” Woohyun announced as the car entered the right street.  
  
Sunggyu immediately livened up, sitting up straight to scan the area for his possible home. Woohyun wondered what he thought about the area. It was a good part of the town. Apartments cost a little more, but it was safe here and close to the city center. He stopped the car in front of the apartment block, where his home was located. “I live up there. On the 6th floor. There’s no elevator, so we will have to walk.”  
  
The hybrid smiled brightly and his eyes turned into crescents. “I don’t mind.”  
  
They got out of the car and as Woohyun got Sunggyu’s stuff out, he noticed the fox staring at the houses down the streets. Had he hoped that one of them would be Woohyun’s? “Are you disappointed?”  
  
Sunggyu looked back to him with slightly widened eyes. “No! This is more than enough! Why would you need a house when you’re living alone?”  
  
 _I’m not alone anymore, though. Maybe I will buy a house in a few years – for us._ But for now they had to take it slow. Who knows what would happen in a few years? Maybe Sunggyu would get sick of him or not want to be something more than just brothers or friends. It would be weird if he blurted out ‘Maybe we could date’ after buying Sunggyu like a pet. _He probably wants a family, but not in that way._  
  
“Woohyun? Are we going?”  
  
He blinked. Sunggyu already had a box in his hands and waited for him to move. “Sorry, yes. Let’s go!”  
  
Woohyun picked up the bag and then the second box. It was good that he did some sports in his free time or the climb up the stairs would have been too much. The bag was okay, but the box with all of Sunggyu’s books weighted a ton. Never had he missed the elevator so much in this building. The hybrid was carrying the lighter box, but Woohyun noticed him falling behind after the fourth floor. Sunggyu looked a bit pale and he seemed to be trying not to pant from the exertion. It made the older man’s heart clench. The fragile fox was obviously not used to climbing so many steps with a heavy box in his arms.  
  
He stopped on the 5th floor and waited for the hybrid to catch up. “Are you okay? We are almost there. You can put it down if it’s too heavy for you and I’ll get it in a minute.”  
  
Sunggyu shook his head stubbornly and pushed past him. “I’m fine!”  
  
Woohyun thought about running ahead and taking it from him nevertheless, but somehow he knew the hybrid would not accept his help. Sunggyu was determined to reach his new home by himself without Woohyun’s help. They climbed the rest of the stairs to the 6th floor and Woohyun put down the box to unlock his door. He grabbed Sunggyu’s box then and carried it inside. “Come on in. Leave the other box.”  
  
He walked through the corridor and put the box down in the living room. He turned around to the fox, who was following after him with an expression of awe. “Welcome to your new home. It’s not much, but well, the view is great and it’s close to my work place.”  
  
The hybrid walked to him and threw his arms around his neck. Woohyun caught him with a light laugh. He lifted the fox up in the spur of the moment and turned them in circles. His heart fluttered wildly, as he heard Sunggyu laugh happily. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”  
  
They separated again and Woohyun left Sunggyu alone to explore the apartment. He got the second box with the hybrid’s books and closed the door after carrying it inside. Where were they going to put all the books? He needed a new shelf, definitely. He looked around in search of the fox. “Sunggyu-yah, where did you go?”  
  
Sunggyu came rushing to him from the direction of the bathroom with an expectant look on his face. “Your apartment is so big! But where will I sleep?”  
  
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t have a guest room. I’ll let you have my bed for now and I will sleep on the sofa. We will find another solution soon, maybe another apartment with more rooms.”  
  
“But your bed is big! We can sleep in it together!”  
  
Woohyun cleared his throat, trying to chase away the pictures in his mind. It was an innocent proposal and not an invitation to have sex with him. “I-I’m fine with the sofa. Oh, right, before I forget it-“  
  
He walked off to the bedroom and came back with a small package. “It’s for you. A moving in present so to say.”  
  
Sunggyu’s ears twitched, showing his excitement, and he took the small wrapped object from Woohyun. “What’s that? Is it a book? It feels like one!”  
  
The older man nodded. “Go on. Unwrap it!”  
  
He had bought the book a while ago on an impulse, even before he was sure Sunggyu would go home with him. Woohyun had recognized the author’s name, the guy Sunggyu admired, in a bookshop and bought a book that the bookseller told him was his newest one. Now he was nervous as hell. Would the fox like it? Hopefully, he did not own the book already…  
  
Woohyun carefully observed the hybrid, as he unwrapped the present. Sunggyu’s face showed deep concentration. For a second it looked like the fox was disappointed, but then his face lit up again. “You remembered I like him. Thank you, Woohyun! I don’t have anything for you, though…”  
  
“That’s fine! You don’t have to give me anything!”  
  
The fox puffed his cheeks, stomping with his foot on the floor. “It’s not fine! What’s your favorite food, Woohyun? I’ll cook it for you tonight!”  
  
“My favorite…I don’t know…maybe Doenjang jjigae?” He didn’t even know if Sunggyu could cook that, but the hybrid nodded and headed off towards the kitchen.  
  
The older man followed him and found Sunggyu rummaging through his refrigerator. Woohyun observed him quietly with an amused smile. He had the urge to step closer and touch the tail that was waving from left to right, as the fox scanned his fridge. “Why is there nothing inside? What do you eat every day? It’s almost empty! This one is already expired! Oh my god- is that…I think it’s alive!”  
  
Woohyun felt his cheeks grow hot. He stepped closer and ripped the package from Sunggyu’s grasp. He threw it into the garbage can without checking the content. Apparently, he had forgotten to clean up his fridge of all places. “Takeout food, instant ramyun and stuff…I know it’s not healthy! Don’t give me that pitying look!”  
  
The hybrid crossed his arms. “From now on you are going to eat proper food! I’ll make sure of that!”  
  
It was cute how determined the fox was. Sunggyu was hell-bent on taking care of him from now on. It wasn’t bad to have someone so genuinely worry for your health and safety. “I get it. The kitchen is all yours from now on.”  
  
“Yes! And we’re going to go grocery shopping right now!”  
  
“Don’t you want to take a break? We just walked all the way up here and you were pretty exhausted. You should at least drink some water.”  
  
“I’m fine!” Woohyun held him back, when the hybrid wanted to leave.  
  
“No, you’re going to drink something first. I don’t want you to faint on me. Toni would rip my head off.” Sunggyu pouted, but Woohyun guided him to one of the stools at the side and made him sit down. He then got a glass of fresh water for the fox. “Drink!”  
  
Sunggyu took it from him and did as told. They were going to look after each other from now on. It wasn’t a one-sided relationship where one side only used the other. Woohyun smiled at how fast the fox gulped down the water. _So he_ was _thirsty after all._ Sunggyu held out the glass to him when he was done and Woohyun smiled. “One more?”  
  
“Y-Yes.” He chuckled and got the fox another glass full of water. Woohyun ruffled his hair this time and enjoyed the little blush of embarrassment on Sunggyu’s cheeks.  
  
“Better now?”  
  
The hybrid gave him a nod and Woohyun put the empty glass on the counter. “Now we can go.”

  


  
Going shopping with Sunggyu was fun. He normally found it a hassle, so Woohyun never really spent much time grocery shopping. The fox was in his element, though. He shoved his cart through the supermarket like a wolf on the hunt, taking his time to look at several brands of one of the same product, weighing up which one was better. Woohyun felt relatively useless. He only followed the fox and made sure that he didn’t lose sight of him. He also kept an eye on the other people close to them. Some eyed Sunggyu with obvious surprise, some seemed shocked or even smitten. A young man even tried to approach his hybrid, but Woohyun stepped between them and send him an angry scowl, which was enough to make the stranger retreat. He made an invisible note in his head not to let Sunggyu walk around alone. The fox seemed so innocent and cute that it would not be surprising if someone snatched him away.  
  
Said fox didn’t notice any of the looks he was getting. Sunggyu was focused on his task – making sure Woohyun ate proper meals every day. He didn’t even budge when Woohyun complained and put the carrots out of the cart again, because he didn’t like carrots. Sunggyu just put them in again and lectured him on all the vitamins it contained and how it was good for his eyesight. So the older man just stopped complaining about ingredients at that point. The fox only let allergies count as real excuses. Too bad Woohyun had none.  
  
Of course, he was the one who carried the bags back home. Sunggyu had offered to take one, but Woohyun only let him carry a small bottle of water. The handles of the plastic bag cut into his skin and hell, Sunggyu had chosen quite a lot of things, so the bags were heavy. His pride didn’t let him stop or give a bag to the hybrid, though. Woohyun felt the need to prove his strength, for whatever primal, masculine reason.  
  
The only reason he made it up the stairs was Sunggyu’s constant encouraging cheering. “You can do it!” “Just a few more steps!” “You’re so strong, Woohyun!” “Should I take a bag?”  
  
“No!”  
  
He was panting hard by the time they reached his floor. Woohyun set down the bags and gave Sunggyu his key to open the door. He’d need to make a copy of the key for the fox later, Woohyun reminded himself. They – Sunggyu snatched a bag from him – carried the groceries to the kitchen and Sunggyu immediately started unpacking everything. He got himself a glass of apple juice and watched Sunggyu pack the fridge like it was his own. The fox was humming a tune that Woohyun didn’t recognize as he moved around.  
  
“You’re really happy doing this, aren’t you?”  
  
“Hmh!”  
  
Woohyun could not imagine what was fun about that, but seeing Sunggyu like this lifted his spirits too. It seemed like taking the hybrid home had been a good decision. They had only been together at home for a few hours, but it already felt like they were a domestic couple – or family.  
  
“Why don’t you watch TV or so, while I prepare dinner?”  
  
“No, I want to watch you cook.” He replied with a smile.  
  
The fox’s ears twitched and he nodded slightly. “Okay.”  
  
Observing the other was enough entertainment. Sunggyu was a skilled cook, something Woohyun could guess from their previous meetings, but it was first time seeing him in action. Every movement seemed delicate and on point. “How long have you been cooking for the kids?”  
  
The fox gave him a short glance. “Hmm…I think since I was 12? We had an old lady that cooked for us. She taught me and the others everything about cooking, but she passed away when I was 15. Everything was left to me then, mostly. I wonder who is going to teach the kids now…”  
  
“Maybe you can still teach them. We can think of something.” Woohyun tried to encourage the younger man, who seemed to be quite down suddenly.  
  
Sunggyu’s face lit up. “Really? Do you think so?”  
  
 _Anything for you._ “Sure. Now pay attention to the knife you are holding, please. I don’t want to be responsible for you losing a finger on your first day in my home.”  
  
The hybrid didn’t reply to that, instead he just smiled and went back to preparing dinner. Woohyun observed him quietly, thinking how much nicer this was than sitting alone at home and cooking ramyun. This was what he had silently envied his friends for.  
  
Friends.  
  
Woohyun pulled out his phone and turned it back on – he had turned it off for safety purposes. He was greeted with some missed calls and texts from his friends. Woohyun only replied to Dongwoo’s last text, telling him that Sunggyu and he had reached his home safely, and that there was absolutely nothing to be worried about. He also mentioned that he definitely did not want any visits from his friends right now. Was it bad that he wanted some time alone with his fox, before his friends butted in with their own pets? It would be noisy and exhausting. Woohyun didn't need that right now. He had to protect the peace in his home.

  


  
  
And peaceful it was. Dinner with Sunggyu was great. The food tasted fantastic, as expected, and it felt nice not to eat alone. Surprisingly, Sunggyu talked the most during dinner. He told him about all kind of things, pranks the kids had done or heart-warming moments he had experienced. Woohyun didn’t mind the hybrid talking a lot. He took it as a sign that the fox was starting to feel comfortable in his new home. Surely, it was still weird for him to be far away from the shelter and the kids. He had lived there all of his life after all. It would take time to get used to being only around Woohyun. _He’s going to be all alone when I’m working. Maybe he can have fun with Myungsoo and Hoya?_ He would probably like that, but Woohyun pushed the thought further into the future. Tomorrow would be Sunday, which meant no work.  
  
They settled for watching a DVD after dinner. It was a normal romantic comedy. Woohyun had seen it a hundred times already, but it was the first time for the hybrid. Since he knew the movie in and out already, he spent most of the time secretly watching Sunggyu’s reaction. He loved how Sunggyu would laugh at every joke or just smile at the romantic scenes. It was clear to him that the fox was still pretty much innocent when it came to romance. Their kind was not created to be lovers originally. Woohyun wondered what the younger man saw him as. A friend? A family member? He hadn’t bought Sunggyu with the intention of dating him, but Woohyun knew he was kidding himself. He had already fallen hard for the hybrid’s charms. How much he wanted to pull Sunggyu onto his lap and snuggle with him…  
  
The couple in the movie kissed and Sunggyu seemed to be in awe. Woohyun smiled at his reaction. “Have you kissed someone before, Sunggyu-yah?”  
  
 _Why did you ask that!_ The fox shook his head, eyes glued to the TV. “No.”  
  
“Don’t you want to try it…someday?” _Where are you going with this, you sneaky pervert?_  
  
Sunggyu looked at him and tilted his head to the side questioningly. “Maybe. But you only do it with someone you really, really like, right? Have you found that person already? Have you kissed her?”  
  
“Well…I have kissed a few” _–hundred-_ “But no special someone like you’re talking about. Just, strangers.”  
  
The fox furrowed his brows. “Why would you kiss strangers?”  
  
Woohyun blinked and then cleared his throat. _Did he never encounter that in his books?_ “I was lonely, I guess.”  
  
Sunggyu’s face lit up. “But now you’re not lonely anymore! I’m here now! No more kissing strangers!”  
  
“Are you saying I should only kiss you?” The words were out before he could stop them.  
  
The hybrid’s face went red and Sunggyu looked away again. “No! You should find your special someone!”  
  
 _And what if that person is you?_ Woohyun didn’t say it out loud, though. He didn’t want to push things. It was Sunggyu’s first day here after all and he was pretty sure that the fox would be uncomfortable if he suddenly confessed his love like that. He should give the fox a chance to see the world first – to meet more people and maybe meet his special someone. Woohyun didn’t want Sunggyu to love him, because he was his savior and the only person outside the shelter he had ever gotten close to.  
  
He ruffled the younger man’s hair. “I get it.”  
  
Sunggyu held out his pinky with the determination of a soldier going into war. “Promise!”  
  
Woohyun fought a laugh and linked their pinkies. “Promise.”  
  
The fox nodded in satisfaction and went back to watching the movie. At that point, Woohyun was already relatively sure that a long, frustrating period of time was ahead of him.  
  
After the movie, he tucked Sunggyu into his bed, because the fox was already yawning and his eyes were half-closed. The day had been exciting but also exhausting. Woohyun dropped the blanket over the fox and brushed his fingers through the soft hair once more. Sunggyu closed his eyes as he did that. “Good night, little fox.”  
  
“Are you really going to sleep on the sofa? There’s so much space here.” The hybrid muttered.  
  
Woohyun withdrew his hand and stepped back. “I’ll sleep in the living room. It’s better that way.”  
  
 _Otherwise I might attack you in your sleep._ “Okay…good night, Woohyun.”  
  
“Sweet dreams.” The older man turned off the lights and walked out of the bedroom.  
  
With a heavy heart, he started preparing the sofa for the night. Woohyun watched a bit more TV after that, but soon he got tired as well and went to bed. He wrapped himself in the blanket and closed his eyes. He was sure that his dreams tonight would be all about a certain fox that had stepped into his life.  
  


  
  
When Woohyun woke up, he felt more than warm. He wondered when it had gotten so hot under the blanket. Why was his blanket even so warm? And something was tickling his nose-  
  
He opened his eyes tiredly and almost got a heart attack, because his blanket was almost gone and it had been replaced by a sleeping Sunggyu. The fox’s head was resting on his chest, one of his ears tickling Woohyun’s nose. It was no wonder he felt so warm, when there was another person sleeping so close to him. Sunggyu had an arm wrapped around his chest, the body pressed close against his side and a leg over Woohyun’s. The older man tried to control his breathing. How had Sunggyu gotten here?  
  
Woohyun was afraid of moving. It was uncomfortably warm and there was something very urgent between his legs, but he did not want to wake up Sunggyu. The hybrid looked so peaceful in his sleep. All of Sunggyu’s defenses were down and the older man wanted nothing more in that moment than to protect his little fox from any harm. He took a deep breath of that special scent that hung in the air. Sunggyu smelled like forest and honey. It was a sweet scent and Woohyun wished he could enjoy it every morning. He felt drowsy, so he closed his eyes again. Not like he could move right now anyways.  
  
  
  
The second time he woke up, Woohyun was alone again on the sofa. If not for the sweet scent lingering in the air, he would have thought it was a dream. He pushed the blanket aside that Sunggyu seemed to have put over him again. Woohyun rubbed his eyes and stood up, heading out to look for the fox. It wasn’t hard to find him. He heard a sizzling sound from the direction of the kitchen and it smelled like grilled meat. He shuffled towards the kitchen with half-closed eyes, not expecting the second shock of the morning.  
  
Woohyun stopped in his tracks and his eyes threatened to fall out. There he was, the fox, standing in front of the stove and cooking breakfast, which was not even the shocking part yet. Sunggyu wore nothing but one of his oversized shirts. Literally nothing else. Woohyun was stunned. He could only stare at the temptation of the smooth thighs and whenever Sunggyu bent over to get something, he got a pretty good view of his perfect, very bare, round butt too. The painful erection between his legs let him snap out of the trance finally. Woohyun sneaked out of the kitchen again and ran towards the bathroom with a few curses leaving his mouth.  
  
“Is he trying to seduce me?!” Woohyun panted when he was in the bathroom. He locked the door and paced through the room. “This is not okay. Not good. I need to tell him that he cannot run around like that!”  
  
 _Why not?_ A voice in his head asked and Woohyun groaned. “NO!”  
  
Sunggyu could’ve at least worn boxers! Why only a shirt?! Woohyun took his clothes off and stepped in the shower. He turned the water on and banged his head against the wall, as he wrapped his fingers around his erection to jerk off. It was only the first morning and Sunggyu was already driving him insane. Was he begging to be attacked?  
  


  
  
He only got out of the bathroom, when he was sure that his mind and body had calmed down. Woohyun walked back to the kitchen and noticed the fox still hadn’t put on more clothes. “Woohyun! Good morning! I’ve prepared breakfast for us.”  
  
The older man covered his eyes with his hand. “Could you- please put on more clothes. Boxers, pants! Something!”  
  
“Oh. I’m sorry…I just…it- I will be back in a minute.” Something brushed past him and Woohyun dared to lower his hand again.  
  
He sat down at the table and looked at the wide variety of dishes the fox had prepared. His stomach growled at the sight and Woohyun licked his lips hungrily. When was the last time he had had so much food for breakfast? Grilled meat and vegetables, warm rice, a bowl of soup and some kimchi – no wonder Sunggyu had bought so many things the day before.  
  
“Better?” He turned his head and saw Sunggyu standing at the entrance to the kitchen with pants on. He was half-happy and half-disappointed.  
  
Woohyun gave him a warm smile. “Better. Come and sit down. Thank you for preparing this.”  
  
Sunggyu took the seat opposite of him, but kept his gaze glued to his lap. “I’m sorry…”  
  
He blinked, but then understood what the fox apologized for. “No, no, don’t worry. I was just…surprised. Weren’t you cold? Why did you run around like that?”  
  
The hybrid blushed. “It’s just…more comfortable. I like it more when I can move my tail around freely. There are clothes for hybrids with tails like me, but I don’t like them much. It’s constricting.”  
  
Well, Woohyun sure had never thought about that. He could not imagine what it felt like, seeing as he had no tail, but Sunggyu really looked uncomfortable. “I see. So wearing no boxers or pants is more comfortable…”  
  
“It’s okay! I will wear them! Please don’t throw me out.” The fox’s eyes filled with tears.  
  
Woohyun stared at the younger in shock. “Throw you out? Oh my god, Sunggyu. Why would I do that? I’m not going to throw you out because of that! It’s unusual for sure, but it’s also a part of you, something you can’t change. I was just surprised. I mean you were pretty much…naked. I know it’s uncomfortable, but if possible please wear boxers or pants, yeah, pants actually. Can you do that or does it bother you a lot?”  
  
The fox shook his head. “No! I can wear them! I will wear them from now on, I swear.”  
  
A side of him secretly wanted Sunggyu to forget about the promise and just walk around half-naked again, but Woohyun pushed the thought away. _Later. One day._ “Come on. No sad faces at the table. I’m really not mad and it would be a waste if your wonderful food got cold.”  
  
Sunggyu nodded and wiped his eyes, sitting up straight again. Woohyun smiled at him and grabbed the chopsticks. “Let’s go outside later and buy you a shelf for all your books, okay?”  
  
The hybrid finally smiled. “Okay!”  
  
Woohyun rejoiced inwardly. He would do anything to make sure that Sunggyu kept on smiling. Seeing the fox cry was something his heart could not take.  
  
  
  
After breakfast, they got ready to leave. Sunggyu blocked the bathroom for a while to shower and change his clothes, while Woohyun made space in his closet for the other man’s clothes. He put some of them inside already during his wait. Woohyun used the time to check out the pants and underwear – no, he wasn’t a pervert, just curious! He had never paid attention to the clothes that were sold for hybrids. There was a little zip in the back that ended in a hole, obviously meant for their tails. Woohyun wondered if there were clothes with different sizes of holes, because some animals had big and full tails, while others only owned slim ones. If there weren’t different sizes, he could already see the first problem. The hole did seem a bit small to him for Sunggyu’s tail. _It’s probably too tight around the fur._  
  
He hastily put the pants away, when he heard the bathroom door getting unlocked. Sunggyu had exchanged his yellow hoodie for a black one and a pair of bleached jeans. Woohyun could not explain it, but the big hoodies made the fox looked even younger and cuter. “Are you ready to leave?”  
  
Sunggyu nodded and ran off towards the entrance to put on his shoes. Woohyun followed after him with a content smile. “Are you excited to go to the mall?”  
  
“Yeah!”  
  
He put on his shoes and grabbed his car keys, while Sunggyu slipped into a coat. It was quite fresh outside, since the season was slowly turning into fall. “If you see anything else you want today, don’t hesitate to point it out, okay? I want you to feel at home here. My money is yours too now.”  
  
The fox mumbled an ‘okay’, but Woohyun doubted he would speak up if he wanted something. Sunggyu was the type to hold back after all, because he didn’t want to bother anyone. Woohyun would just have to pay extra attention to what things Sunggyu looked at and what he liked.  
  


  
  
Shopping with Sunggyu took hours. In the end, the fox surprised him by being very demanding with what he wanted. The hybrid didn’t seem to hold back and Woohyun was smitten enough to grant him every wish. Most of the things he had to buy were food. Sunggyu could eat quite a lot, apparently. They also bought him new shoes, a new jacket, a beanie for his head in winter, a bag, a wallet, sunglasses, lotion and other small things. Woohyun didn’t think he ever carried so many bags at once. They had to actually bring them to the car at some point, so they’d have their hands free again. Woohyun bought him a phone afterwards, insisting that Sunggyu got one and learned how to use it. It would let them communicate while the older man was at work and Sunggyu could also talk to Myungsoo and Hoya or his friends at the shelter. The shelf was the last thing they bought. Woohyun tried to not think about how much money they had spent today. But if he was honest, he had never really needed the money for anything else. He earned quite a good sum every month and Woohyun had rarely done more than going to clubs. It was nice to use his saved up money for Sunggyu. He said he would spoil the fox and that was exactly what he was doing.  
  
He could not rest after they returned home in the afternoon, though. Woohyun still had to set up the shelf. It took him about an hour, because he accidentally skipped one step of the instruction manual.  
  
“Sunggyu-yah, it’s done. You can put in your books now.” He called for the other male.  
  
The fox came out of the kitchen and Woohyun pulled the box to the shelf. “It won’t collapse again?”  
  
He gave Sunggyu a long look and the hybrid laughed. “That’s not funny! It’s stable this time!”  
  
Woohyun walked over to the sofa with red ears and turned the TV on. Why did he have to mess up in front of Sunggyu?! Behind him the fox chuckled once more and then started putting his books into the shelf. Woohyun turned his head and observed him quietly. Sunggyu seemed to have some kind of system for sorting them, which he guessed was by author names. At one point, he was about to put a book in the shelf, but then suddenly stuffed it into the pocket of his hoodie. Woohyun raised a brow, but didn’t say anything. He hastily looked away, when Sunggyu checked on him. _Why did he hide it?_  
  
The rest of the evening, he could not stop thinking about it. When Sunggyu announced that he would go to bed, Woohyun thought it was his chance. He’d be able to check the book the fox had hidden, while the younger was sleeping. As Sunggyu slipped under the blanket – thankfully hiding his half-nakedness again (“I always sleep like that!”) – Woohyun remembered something from this morning.  
  
“By the way, did you sneak under my blanket last night? You were on the couch with me when I woke up the first time.”  
  
Sunggyu’s eyes widened and he sank a little lower under his own blanket. “Why did you do that?”  
  
The fox averted his gaze. “I was afraid of sleeping alone. I’m used to my other bed…”  
  
Of course. A legit reason. Who would not be nervous the first time in a new house or home? Sunggyu had slept in the same room all his life and now he was suddenly somewhere else. “You could’ve said something. Should I stay with you until you fall asleep?”  
  
Sunggyu shook his head. “No! I’m fine.”  
  
He sat down on the edge and stroked the fox’s hair, knowing it would help him to fall asleep. “You don’t have to keep anything from me, okay? If you’re scared or anything, please tell me. I want you to be happy here.”  
  
“I am happy, Woohyun.” The fox replied firmly. “You can go. I’m okay.”  
  
“Okay, okay. Sweet dreams, Sunggyu-yah.” He ruffled the hair one last time and stood up. Woohyun honestly hoped he would not wake up with Sunggyu attached to him again. God knows what would happen then.  
  
He went out of the room and waited for a while, until he was sure that the fox was sleeping. Woohyun opened the door quietly and peeked inside. Soft snoring could be heard and he saw Sunggyu rolled into a ball in the middle of the bed. “Cute.”  
  
The older man sneaked to the chair he knew Sunggyu had put his hoodie on. His hands went inside the big pocket and pulled the book out. Woohyun went towards the door to have more light. He frowned when he saw that it was the book he had given to Sunggyu. “No wait…it looks different…”  
  
The title was the same, he was sure, but the cover looked older. Woohyun went into the living room to look for it in the shelf, but it wasn’t there. “Am I stupid? I swear it was blue and not brown…”  
  
Woohyun went back into the room and put the book back in the pocket. _Did I buy him a book that he already has? But he didn’t tell me…and where is my present?_ There was a sudden noise from the direction of the bed and Woohyun looked over to Sunggyu in shock, but the fox was simply changing his position. And that’s when he spotted something in Sunggyu’s arms under the dim light from the living room. He stepped closer carefully and saw the fox holding onto a book – the present. Woohyun guessed it was his present to the hybrid, since it had the blue color he remembered.  
  
He smiled. “Did you hide your copy of the book so I wouldn’t notice? You could’ve told me.”  
  
The sleeping fox muttered something unintelligible. He pressed the book closer to his chest, as if to protect it. It reminded him of that one time with the cap. Woohyun leaned forward to press a small kiss on his forehead. “What to do with you…you make me fall harder for you every day.”  
  
He watched Sunggyu sleep for a while, before standing up again and leaving the room as quiet as he had entered.  
  


  
  
The next day, he woke up without Sunggyu in his arms. Woohyun was the first one awake in general. He had forgotten to tell the hybrid that he’d need to wake up earlier for work. He rubbed his eyes and grabbed his phone tiredly.  
  
\- _Sunyeol, can Sunggyu stay with Myungsoo?  
  I don’t want him to be home alone._  
  
\- _I was wondering when you would ask.  
 Of course he can come over. Hoya will be there  
 too. They will be happy to see him._  
  
Woohyun let out a relieved sigh. He didn’t want to leave Sunggyu alone in the apartment. Not because he didn’t trust the hybrid, but because he did not want him to be alone. Woohyun felt a little sad when he thought about not seeing his beloved fox for eight hours. Never had he hated going to work so much.  
  
He walked over to the bedroom and shook Sunggyu’s shoulder lightly. “Sunggyu-yah~ wake up.”  
  
The fox woke up and looked at him with narrowed eyes. “Already?”  
  
“I have to work. We have to get ready and eat breakfast. I’ll drop you off at Sungyeol’s apartment. You can spend the day with Hoya and Myungsoo instead of being alone.” Woohyun brushed a few wild strands of hair out of Sunggyu’s face. “Don’t you want to meet them?”  
  
The hybrid nodded, but his eyes fell closed again and he dropped his head into the pillow once more.  
  
“Yah, enough sleeping!”  
  
“Can’t I go to work with you?” Sunggyu mumbled almost inaudible.  
  
Woohyun laughed and scratched the soft spot behind the large ear. “I don’t think so. Are you going to miss me?”  
  
“Yeah…”  
  
“Time will fly while you’re playing with the others and then I will be there to pick you up, before you know it. Come on, little fox. I can’t be late for work.”  
  
Sunggyu sat up and rolled out of the bed. Woohyun averted his gaze immediately to avoid seeing the naked butt that the fox loved to expose.  
  
“I put pants on.” The fox declared after a few seconds and Woohyun let out the breath he had been holding.  
  
“Good. Let’s eat.”

  


  
  
It became their schedule soon enough. Every morning they woke up together, sometimes Woohyun woke up Sunggyu or the other way around. Sunggyu would make breakfast for both of them, while Woohyun got ready for work. He would drop the fox off at Sungyeol’s or Dongwoo’s home, before leaving for the office. Sometimes he gave Sunggyu money and the younger took a bus to the shelter. He didn’t like him going alone, though, so either Hoya or Myungsoo – or both – accompanied him there. The two hybrids had been more than happy to meet their old friend again. They were like two brothers to Sunggyu and Woohyun was quite happy that they were there for the fox.  
  
Weekends were spent together. They explored the city or even drove somewhere else. It was too cold for the beach, but they took a walk there anyways. Sunggyu had been very amazed by the seemingly endless strip of water and Woohyun had noticed the hybrid might have a bit of a fear of water. They did all kinds of stuff that couples would do, stuff that Woohyun would definitely call things people do during dates, but they weren’t a couple. At least not officially. Woohyun sometimes made the younger man hold his hand, with the excuse of not wanting to lose him in the crowd. But they did not kiss or cuddle or do anything inappropriate.  
  
It was frustrating. Week after week passed, which turned into months, but their relationship seemed to be stuck at brother status. It was hard for Woohyun to hold back and to not give in to his desires. Sunggyu didn’t make it easy for him at all. Sometimes he just forgot to put on something down there, before leaving the bedroom, and sometimes Woohyun woke up with the half-naked fox attached to him. It was actually no better with boxers on, since they still showed the wonderful pair of thighs that Woohyun wanted to sink his fingers and teeth in. Sometimes Sunggyu would stretch out on the sofa like a content cat, his stomach showing as his shirt got pushed upwards. He also started resting his head on Woohyun’s lap, wriggling on it until Woohyun was stroking his head. He would make a sound that was almost a purr, when the older man even stroked his furry tail. He was like a massive, oversized cat, but with an almost sinful body.  
  
Woohyun felt like a saint for not having snapped yet. The older man had given the innocent fox plenty of hints, but Sunggyu did not think of him in that way at all. He couldn’t remember the last time he had had sex. Proper sex. Not just jerking off in the shower to the dirty pictures in his mind. His friends would laugh at his suffering and tell him to just make a move, but Woohyun didn’t want to scare Sunggyu off. The fox still seemed to think that Woohyun’s true love was somewhere out there. He didn’t know what would be worse – Sunggyu rejecting him or Sunggyu simply giving in to him and letting him do everything he wanted, because he was a hybrid and that was what they did. They listened.

 

** Hello. This is ramen speaking. It's getting hot now. So grab a box of tissues, your heart machine and make sure your parents don't catch you with this. (just joking my smut sucks SUCKS U KNOW /gets chased away) **

  
He didn’t want the fox to just surrender to him, because he felt obliged to do so. Woohyun wanted Sunggyu to look at him with heated and teary eyes, begging him to take him, to push him rough against a wall and fuck him. He wanted to hear him mewl and moan in arousal, as _he ground their hips together and pushed his hands up the luscious thighs. (“Woohyun please-“) His imagination wandered off and Woohyun saw himself bending the fox over the kitchen table. (“I told you to put on your boxers in the morning. I’ll have to punish you.”) He fingered the fox until his legs gave in and his throat was sore from screaming. Woohyun plunged his cock deep into the tight hole, howling because it was wonderfully hot and wet. He felt Sunggyu’s walls clenching around his shaft. (“You like this, don’t you?” – “Woohyun, please…” – “You didn’t wear them on purpose, did you? Tell me how much you want this.”) The fox let out a desperate whimper. (“I forgot-“) Woohyun gave the full, round globe a hard slap. He pulled out and the hybrid whined desperately. (“Don’t lie. Say it, Sunggyu-yah: I want you to fuck me hard.”)_  
  
Woohyun pumped his erection faster, as Sunggyu’s screams resounded in his ears. _(“Woohyun!”)_ The running water swallowed his chain of moans. He imagined his fist to be the tight channel of the fox, though the real thing would definitely be so much better. His thumb pressed against his slit and he imagined that he was hitting the fox’s prostate instead. “Ah…Sunggyu…Sunggyu-yah…Gyu…so tight…”  
  
“Woohyun?”  
  
“Sunggyu…” He moaned in bliss.  
  
“Woohyun!”  
  
A hand suddenly touched his arm and Woohyun flinched away, because first off, he didn’t expect it and second off, it was so cold against his skin. He turned his head to look at the fox, but kept the rest of his body turned away. What was with this situation? Had he been too loud? Fuck. Woohyun was rock hard and aching to release, and the damn man of his dreams was merely a few centimeters away. “Oh my god, Sunggyu. You scared the hell out of me-“  
  
“I heard you calling my name. I thought you needed help.” Sunggyu spoke innocently. His face showed honest worry.  
  
Woohyun wanted to feel bad for all the dirty pictures in his mind, but fuck, he was hard and Sunggyu looked so innocent that he wanted to taint him so badly. “M-Maybe you can indeed help me.”  
  
The fox looked eager to help. “How?”  
  
He shot all the warnings in his head in the wind and pulled Sunggyu under the shower. The hybrid let out a short, surprised squeak and Woohyun pushed him against the wall. Sunggyu stared at him with wide eyes, as the water started soaking his clothes. Woohyun leaned closer to capture his lips, but a hand blocked him last second. He looked at Sunggyu, who was squeezing his eyes shut.  
  
Woohyun’s eyes widened. The rejection hurt more than expected, although it was nothing more than a simple hand gesture. “You don’t want to. It’s okay. I won’t force you…”  
  
The hybrid opened his eyes as Woohyun withdrew. Sunggyu batted his eyelashes shyly. “It’s not that- Shouldn’t you do that with someone special?”  
  
He pushed his wet hair back. “And I’m not special to you.”  
  
“You are!” Sunggyu replied immediately and then blushed because of his own words. He averted his gaze. “You’re special to me…”  
  
Woohyun thought he could feel his heart stop. He searched for words but could not find them. He was special to Sunggyu. For the fox being special equaled loving someone. Sunggyu loved him. He loved him! He wanted to kiss with Woohyun and do all the other awful couple stuff with him.  
  
“Wooh-“ He crashed their lips together, swallowing everything else the fox wanted to say.  
  
Sunggyu’s lips felt and tasted as wonderful as they had seemed from a distance. Like the honey tone in his scent, his lips also tasted incredibly sweet. Woohyun let his tongue travel over the pink lips and nibble lightly on them. Sunggyu was still against the wall, not replying to the kiss. Woohyun didn’t give up, though. He wrapped an arm around Sunggyu’s shoulders and rested his hand in his nape. His other arm wandered around his waist and Woohyun pulled the hybrid closer against his own body. Sunggyu must’ve been surprised by his hard erection between them, because he opened his lips for a gasp. The older man let his tongue invade the delicious, moist cavern. He drew an unexpected mewl out of the fox that only motivated him to ravish the mouth more. His heart fluttered in happiness, as Sunggyu wrapped his arms around him. It was the first touch initiated by the hybrid and Woohyun felt relieved by it.  
  
He ground his hips against Sunggyu’s. Woohyun was frantic to reach his release and the closeness of the fox was driving him wild. It was not a dream he was having. Sunggyu was right there, clinging to him and kissing back reluctantly. The fox turned his head away and broke the kiss. He gasped and let out a moan, when Woohyun pushed his lower half hard against him. “Sunggyu. Sunggyu. My special, little fox.”  
  
“W-Woohyun…” Sunggyu looked so perfect with swollen lips and wet hair stuck to his skin. His cheeks were red from embarrassment – or arousal – and he couldn’t look Woohyun straight in the eye. He was so wonderfully shy and innocent. So new to this and Woohyun wanted to be the one to show him everything.  
  
“How can you think you’re not special to me?” The older man asked and dropped a kiss on Sunggyu’s cheek. He let his hand wander over the clothed back and loved to feel the fox shudder beneath his touch. Woohyun cupped his cheek with the other hand. “There’s no one else in this world I’d rather do this with.”  
  
“You didn’t say anything…” The fox muttered and leaned into the touch.  
  
Woohyun smiled and kissed the swollen lips. “I didn’t want you to feel like I bought you for this or that I won’t keep you if you don’t sleep with me.”  
  
Sunggyu’s conflicted expression told him that he would’ve probably thought exactly that back then. He rubbed a thumb over his cheekbone. “I took you home with me, because I wanted you with me. It doesn’t matter if it was as a younger brother or…more. And you didn’t seem like you wanted more from me.”  
  
The fox puffed his cheeks. “Myungsoo and Hoya told me it would seduce you if I showed a lot of skin and did things like putting my head on your lap…”  
  
 _God damn it! That was on purpose! Fucking Myungsoo and Hoya perverts! What else did you teach my innocent fox?!_ “So you want this…?”  
  
Sunggyu blushed and nodded shyly. There was time to think about how they could’ve done this earlier another time. Now Woohyun wanted nothing more than to fulfill his dreams. “You trust me?”  
  
The fox looked him straight in the eyes and gave him another nod. “With my life.”  
  
Woohyun smiled and gave him another long kiss. “I love you, my little fox. Turn around for me.”  
  
Sunggyu’s face became the color of a red potato and he turned around slowly. He tried to pull down his pants with his hands, but Woohyun stopped him. “Not yet, little one. We will save that for the bed, because I want your first time to be perfect.”  
  
“You can view this as practice.” Woohyun whispered into his ear, as he pushed his front against the tender back. Sunggyu was squeezed between him and the wall. He ground his hips again, rubbing his hard erection against the perfect, little butt of the fox. The hybrid let out quiet whimpers. “Can you feel it, Gyu? This is all because of you. For weeks I’ve been thinking about this…how tight your ass would be…the sounds you’d make…just thinking about you gets me this hard.”  
  
The hybrid moaned. “W-Woohyun-“  
  
“Do you like it? Did you think about it too?”  
  
Woohyun was surprised to see him nod. “You did? What did you imagine, little fox?”  
  
He had a sudden idea. “Did you finger yourself?”  
  
The fox shook his head and the older man could imagine Sunggyu was incredibly glad that Woohyun couldn’t see his face. He grinned and kissed the exposed nape of the other male. “Good boy. I’ll teach you how it’s done. But for now- fuck-“  
  
Woohyun moaned loudly as he came. His hot cum landed on Sunggyu’s clothed butt and stained the jeans, though the water washed a lot of it off. The fox let out a desperate whine. Woohyun sank against him and closed his eyes for a moment to enjoy his high fully. “You smell so good.”  
  
Sunggyu didn’t reply and he honestly didn’t expect him too. The fox was probably still feeling embarrassed and unsure of what would happen next. Woohyun turned him around again. He rubbed the forearms of the younger male. “Do you want to take this to the bed? It’s okay if you want to wait.”  
  
The hybrid shook his head. “N-No, I want you to-“  
  
Sunggyu swallowed hard and Woohyun glanced down, spotting a prominent erection between the slender legs. He smiled. “I’d love to. Should I carry your or can you walk?”  
  
He didn’t get an answer, but the fox did push past him and walked out of the bathroom without looking back. Woohyun hastily grabbed a towel to dry himself slightly and then wrapped it around his hip, before following the hybrid. Sunggyu was a fast one indeed. Was he that eager or just very embarrassed? Anyways, he was already under the blanket when Woohyun entered the bedroom, shyly looking at him.  
  
“Are you hiding under there?”  
  
He stepped closer and pulled the blanket away with one swift movement. The fox squeaked and Woohyun’s eyes widened slightly, because Sunggyu had already discarded most of his clothes. It was a familiar view with only an oversized shirt covering the lean body. He grinned. “Did you always wear that little hoping that I’d jump on you?”  
  
Sunggyu grabbed the hem and tried to pull it lower to hide his groin. “N-No. I like to sleep like this!”  
  
Woohyun climbed on the bed and raised a brow. He pulled his towel off and threw it away. “Really? You never imagined it?”  
  
He hovered over the fox and Sunggyu looked up at him. “L-Later. Not at the start.”  
  
The older man chuckled and leaned down to kiss the pink lips. “When I first saw you like that on our first morning together-“  
  
He rested his hands on the bare thighs. “-I wanted to touch these so bad.”  
  
Woohyun’s hands kneaded the full, warm flesh. He kept his eyes on Sunggyu’s face the whole time and took in all of his expressions of pleasure. He pushed his hands upwards slowly, closer to Sunggyu’s groin. The fox fidgeted below him and tried to move away, but Woohyun didn’t let him. “Ssh, we’re taking this slow, okay? Tell me if you don’t like anything.”  
  
He retracted his hands and skipped over the groin area, since Sunggyu still seemed to be afraid of getting touched there. Woohyun pushed his hands below the shirt instead and pushed it upwards. He lowered his mouth to the skin and caressed it softly with his lips. He could feel the skin trembling from Sunggyu’s erratic breathing. The fox rewarded him with quiet whimpers, as Woohyun let his tongue wander over the skin. He moaned. “So sweet, my little fox.”  
  
His hands pushed further upwards and Sunggyu sat up a bit, so that he could pull the shirt off. The fox immediately moved one of his hands to cover his private place. Woohyun licked his lips hungrily at the sight of the pale skin that was presented to him. Not free of blemishes and god knew that Sunggyu was a bit chubby at certain places, but those were all flaws that Woohyun loved about him. Sunggyu was imperfect and that made him human in his eyes. He may not have a navel like everyone else, but there were people born without one too.  
  
“Beautiful.” Woohyun breathed.  
  
Sunggyu whined shortly. “Don’t stare! I’m not-“  
  
“Yes, you are. So, so beautiful.” The older man leaned down again to continue kissing and licking the warm skin. He wanted Sunggyu to know how beautiful he was, how much he liked everything about him. This was not just blind lust. No quick round of sex. Woohyun would make love to him.  
  
He twisted one of the nubs between the tips of his fingers and Sunggyu arched his back below him with a loud mewl. “Oh~ someone’s sensitive here.”  
  
The other nipple he took between his teeth. As his mouth pleasured the left, his hand took care of the right nipple. He twisted and rubbed it until it was hard, while his tongue swirled around the other one. Sunggyu was moving below him, writhing in pleasure and Woohyun could see that his eyes were starting to get cloudy from lust. The hybrid’s erection pushed against Woohyun’s thigh and he grinned against the skin. It was so much more perfect than everything he had imagined in his dreams.  
  
“W-Woohyun…”  
  
“Hmh?” He smiled without looking up and instead sucked hard on the nipple.  
  
Sunggyu arched his back again and then there was a hand in Woohyun’s hair, rough and demanding. The fox rubbed his erection against his thigh. “Please.”  
  
“So impatient, little fox.” Woohyun moved higher again and licked over the collarbone. “There’s still so much to explore.”  
  
His teeth scratched the skin. Woohyun nibbled on a spot right over the collarbone and sucked on it hard. Sunggyu moaned and grabbed his hair harder. The older man pulled back when he was sure that it would leave an angry, red hickey. _Beautiful._  
  
“Please, Woohyun-“ The fox choked out.  
  
He chuckled. “Okay, but I’m not done with the upper part of you yet.”  
  
Woohyun crawled backwards. “I thought you didn’t want me to touch there?”  
  
Sunggyu whined, but didn’t retract his hand. Woohyun grabbed the wrist gently and pulled it away. He dropped a kiss against the pulse point and his eyes focused on the cock of the fox. It was slim and long, pink and wonderfully hard. It twitched under his burning gaze and Woohyun gave the wrist a last kiss, before letting go of Sunggyu’s hand. He pondered if he should give the fox a handjob or a blowjob, but then opted for the oral option. It would be a good distraction.  
  
Woohyun sat up suddenly and climbed off the bed. Sunggyu let out a sound of distress. “Shush, little fox. I’ll be back in a second.”  
  
From the little drawer next to the bed, Woohyun got a little bottle of lube. He hadn’t used it in a while, but now was the perfect time. Sunggyu eyed the bottle with wide eyes, as the older man got back into his position. He knew the fox was shy, so he started with slow kisses against his thighs, while going upwards until his nose pushed against Sunggyu’s groin. The hybrid whimpered quietly. “Remember to tell me if you don’t like something.”  
  
He opened the bottle and squeezed a bit of the liquid into his hand, before setting it aside. Woohyun put his other hand on Sunggyu’s hip then to prevent any sudden movements. He saw the fox glancing down at him anxiously and Woohyun gave him an encouraging smile. “You’ll like it, Sunggyu.”  
  
Woohyun was glad that he had a lot of experience, otherwise the multitasking would’ve failed. He wrapped his lips around the tip and Sunggyu gasped in surprise. He swirled his tongue around it slowly, giving the fox time to adjust to the strange and new sensation, before increasing the pressure on the tip. Sunggyu writhed beneath him, as he sucked hard on the tip. He grinned and rubbed his tongue over the slit. The fox mewled loudly and Woohyun had to use his hand to hold him still. _He likes it._  
  
The older man slowly swallowed more of the cock and with every inch the fox seemed to grow more restless. Woohyun worked his mouth and tongue skillfully. He knew what to do to make another man feel good during a blowjob. He hollowed his cheeks and sucked on the cock, turning Sunggyu into a trembling mess successfully. Since the hybrid was distracted now, Woohyun used the chance to move his hand that was covered with lube. He carefully let a lubed finger touch the crack of Sunggyu’s butt. The fox flinched away and Woohyun sucked harder on the cock. Sunggyu moaned loudly in reply. His finger found the little hole and he let the tip massage the tense muscle. He withdrew his mouth shortly.  
  
“Relax, Sunggyu-yah. It will be a bit uncomfortable at first, but relax for me, okay?” The fox gave him a timid nod. He had his eyes clenched so tightly that Woohyun got a little worried. “Just concentrate on my mouth and not my hand, Gyu.”  
  
He swallowed the hard cock again and continued to suck on it to distract the hybrid. Woohyun knew that first times always sucked. You could be as gentle as you wanted, it would still hurt. But there were ways to make it pleasurable for your partner and he was determined to make Sunggyu feel good. The pain would change to pleasure soon enough. Woohyun let his wet fingertip press against the entrance and pushed it inside carefully. Sunggyu let out a choked sound and the older man hummed around his cock, trying to tell him to calm down. He knew it wouldn’t get better if he stayed still, so Woohyun moved the finger carefully to work the entrance open a bit more. Sunggyu whimpered as he reached deeper with his finger and smeared the lube all over his walls.  
  
Woohyun deep-throated the other, before pushing the second lubed finger in. Sunggyu let out a cry – he wasn’t sure if it was because of the pleasure from his cock or the pain in his lower back – and Woohyun pulled back. “Sunggyu, don’t clench down too hard on my fingers. Relax, little fox. I can’t move my fingers like this.”  
  
The hybrid gave him a miserable look and Woohyun saw a lone tear travel down his cheek. “It hurts.”  
  
He pulled out his fingers and moved higher again. He let his hand rub soothing circles on Sunggyu’s abdomen and kissed his lips slowly. “I know it does, but it’s only for now. If I don’t work you open with my fingers, you’re going to get hurt and bleed when I push my cock in. I don’t want that, Sunggyu. I want you to be safe. If you want to stop here for tonight, I’ll not go any further.”  
  
Sunggyu looked conflicted. Woohyun thought he would say no, but then the fox shook his head. “I trust you.”  
  
He kissed him again and Sunggyu gladly parted his lips for him this time. Woohyun kissed him deeply and let his tongue play with Sunggyu’s eager one. They stayed like that for a moment until Woohyun was sure the fox had relaxed again. “So strong, my little fox. Only a bit more.”  
  
Woohyun slid down again and continued where he had left off. Sunggyu was moaning and writhing again soon enough. He entered the first finger again and then the second. They went in more smoothly this time, since the fox was calmer and the muscle already a bit stretched. Woohyun fingered him carefully, while his tongue and mouth took care of Sunggyu’s erection. The fox jerked suddenly and let out a high-pitched scream. It was the only warning he got, before the hybrid came into his mouth. Woohyun almost choked on the cum. He swallowed some of it and the rest ran down his chin.  
  
“I guess that was your prostate, little fox. Felt good, right?” He wiped his mouth and Sunggyu gave him a shaky nod. The fox seemed dazed from his orgasm and Woohyun used the chance to push a third finger in.  
  
Sunggyu’s expression twisted immediately. “Shush, relax.”  
  
Woohyun fingered him carefully. He stretched the other male with a patience that most men didn’t ever grant him – or he them. His fingers sought out the special point again that made Sunggyu see stars. He needed a moment to find it again, but then Sunggyu relaxed again and moaned in pleasure. “Woohyun. God, Woohyun…”  
  
Oh how much he loved to hear the fox moan his name. “Does it feel good, Sunggyu-yah? It’s nothing compared to what I’m going to make you feel soon.”  
  
He retracted his fingers when he was sure Sunggyu’s channel was loose enough to take him in. The fox was already half-hard again, just from a bit of fingering. _So sensitive, my little virgin fox._ His own cock didn’t need any special attention either. All the foreplay had been enough to get him hard. Woohyun grabbed the bottle of lube again and spread a generous amount over his cock. Sunggyu eyed him silently during the whole process.  
  
The older man smiled at him. “It will be okay. You can take more than you think. It’s the same as with the fingers. As long as you relax the pain will pass quickly.”  
  
He leaned over once more to kiss the fox, before Woohyun pushed his legs into the proper positon. He aligned his tip with the little, pink hole and rubbed it against the rim teasingly. Sunggyu pushed his lips together, obviously trying to hold any traitorous sounds in. Woohyun found it utterly adorable. “Let me hear you, little fox.”  
  
His words were unnecessary in the end. Sunggyu broke his silence as soon as he pushed inside. The fox grabbed his forearms and dug his nails into the skin. He whimpered as Woohyun’s cock entered him slowly. “Ssh, Sunggyu-yah. I swear it will be good soon, very good.”  
  
Tears slipped from Sunggyu’s eyes and he wiped them away. Woohyun stopped moving when he was in balls-deep. He gave the hybrid time to adjust to his size. While it was heaven for him, hot and tight just like he had imagined, it was more pain for Sunggyu than anything right now. He wanted to stay sheathed like this forever with Sunggyu’s tight walls clenching around his cock. The older man waited until his partner relaxed, before he pulled back. He didn’t pull out completely and instead pushed deeper with more vigor this time. Sunggyu moaned and Woohyun gave him a kiss.  
  
“You’re doing good. I’ll go slowly, okay?”  
  
Woohyun repeated the process, always pulling back a bit more and pushing back in with more strength. His pace got faster with each time, until he thrust into the fox with a steady rhythm. Sunggyu rewarded him with moans and mewls instead of whimpers. It started to get more pleasurable now – for both of them. Woohyun was hesitant to set a rough pace, though. Maybe another time. For now, their current pace was enough. He loved how the younger male clung to him desperately and arched his back with every time the tip of his cock grazed his prostate. Sunggyu was so beautiful like this, just like Woohyun had imagined. He kissed the open hanging mouth and pushed his tongue inside. The kiss was fierce and heated. Sunggyu mewled into the kiss, as they fought for control with their mouths. Woohyun never stopped his hips from moving, though. He couldn’t remember the last time sex had felt so good and so special. It was not just a quickie in a closet.  
  
“So beautiful. So perfect for me.” Woohyun moaned and wrapped a hand around the hybrid’s shaft. He pumped it at the same pace as his thrusts.  
  
His mouth moved down from the sweet mouth and he dropped kisses along the neck, before nibbling and sucking again, eager to leave another mark. Sunggyu didn’t need long to come undone, but the older man knew that his endurance would increase soon enough. Woohyun came as well after a few thrusts. He howled in satisfaction as his seed filled up the channel. How could he not come with Sunggyu’s delicious, hot channel clenching down on his cock so hard?  
  
The fox looked beautifully exhausted beneath him. His skin was covered in sweat, although he hadn’t moved much. Sunggyu was staring up to him with nothing but admiration in his eyes. Woohyun could not describe how happy he was that Sunggyu didn’t look at him with hatred now. “How was it, little fox? Did you enjoy it as I promised?”  
  
Sunggyu nodded, still feeling shy about everything. Woohyun swiped the sweaty strands of hair from his forehead. “Are you tired, hm?”  
  
“A bit.” The fox admitted. “C-Can we move? It’s uncomfortable on my back.”  
  
His face went back to a red color and Woohyun suddenly remembered that there was still Sunggyu’s furry tail on the back. He grinned and manhandled the fox onto his stomach. Sunggyu yelped in protest. Woohyun rubbed his back soothingly and took his time inspecting the tail properly for the first time ever. He had always wondered where it started, what the base looked like. The tail started a bit over his butt crack. The fur seemed to fuse with the skin at the base and Woohyun let his fingertips run over it curiously. Sunggyu moaned below him. His ears and tail twitched.  
  
“Oh. You like this? Are you sensitive there?” Woohyun asked with a smile.  
  
His finger caressed the base a bit more and the older man enjoyed the little sounds it drew from the fox. But only until the tail suddenly lashed out and smacked him in the face. “Stop that, Woohyun!”  
  
He needed a few seconds to recover from Sunggyu’s action. “Are you embarrassed, little fox?”  
  
Woohyun grabbed his tail and stroked the fur carefully. He noticed that if he stroked against the fur, the wrong way, the fox would let out displeased groans. He chuckled and gave the left ass cheek a short peck. “What should I do, Sunggyu-yah? I don’t want to sleep yet. I still want to taste more of you.”  
  
The hybrid whimpered quietly into the pillow. “You like that idea, don’t you? On your knees, sweetheart.”  
  
Sunggyu did as told with a whine of embarrassment. Woohyun licked his lips and held the tail with one hand, because it had the habit of covering Sunggyu’s butt crack and hole gracefully. The older man pushed two fingers inside again and was quite pleased to hear a moan from Sunggyu this time instead of whimpers from the pain.  
  
“See? It gets better. You’re still loose and ready for me.” Woohyun whispered.  
  
He took his time nevertheless and fingered the fox slowly. He liked to make him tremble and whine in need. Woohyun pressed his fingertip against the prostate and rubbed it slowly. Sunggyu cried out in frustration. “Woohyun, please…”  
  
The older man smiled in satisfaction. He leaned in to kiss and lick the space close to the base of Sunggyu’s tail. The action was rewards by wanton moans. _He’s so sensitive here._ The fox pushed his hips back and fucked himself on the fingers. Woohyun grinned against the skin. Some actions didn’t need to be taught. Sex was a natural act and everything they needed to know would come on its own. “My impatient little fox, tell me what you want.”  
  
Sunggyu whined. His walls clenched around Woohyun’s fingers. “W-Woohyun.”  
  
“That’s my name.”  
  
“Please!”  
  
He was totally enjoying this. Woohyun would be the one to taint the younger male’s innocence. He wanted his innocent fox to give in to his wild instincts. It was a bit of a risky game, since Sunggyu could very well say _‘I hate this! I never want to have sex again!’_ but Woohyun was too far gone to take that possibility into consideration. Woohyun pulled his fingers out and instead pressed the tip of his cock against the pink hole. His hands grabbed Sunggyu’s hips to hold him still.

“Say it, Sunggyu-yah. _I want your dick in me. I want you to fuck me, Woohyun._ ”  
  
The hybrid pressed his face deeper into the pillow. “I want you to fuck me…”  
  
Woohyun smiled like an idiot and stroked the tail shortly. “Good boy.”  
  
The cock slid inside of the tight heat again and they both moaned in delight. Woohyun lost no time to get moving again. “My little fox…so tight and hot.”  
  
“Woohyun-“ The fox choked out, not able to say anything more than that as Woohyun fucked him with a faster pace than before.  
  
When Woohyun felt his own release getting close, he grabbed the tail instead of Sunggyu’s cock and stroked the hairs at the base again. It was enough to make the fox fall over the edge and Woohyun followed him immediately afterwards. Sunggyu collapsed on the bed with a long moan and the older man pulled out carefully. He lay down next to the other on his side and stroked his lower back gently.  
  
“Does it hurt?” Woohyun dropped a kiss on his left shoulder blade.  
  
Sunggyu turned his head slowly and watched him for a moment, before he smiled. “A bit, but it’s okay. Thank you, Woohyun.”  
  
He moved closer to kiss the soft, pink lips that reminded him of honey so much. The hybrid snuggled closer to him and Woohyun wrapped an arm and a leg around him. Sunggyu rubbed his cheek against his bare chest and Woohyun let out a light chuckle. He let his fingers brush through the soft hair absent-mindedly. “I love you, my little fox.”  
  
The younger male hummed quietly. “Me too. They say hybrids can’t feel real love, but what else can it be?”  
  
“You’re as human as everyone else, Sunggyu-yah. And I don’t care what any scientists say.”  
  
Sunggyu laughed shortly. He looked up to Woohyun and gave him a wide smile. “I’m glad that no one took me home before you. I’m glad you chose me.”  
  
“And I’m glad you chose me too. I’ll never let you go again, my little fox.”  
  
The fox puffed his cheeks. “Can you stop calling me ‘little’? I’m not that small or young!”  
  
Woohyun kissed the tip of his nose. “You’ll always be my little fox, innocent and cute.”

 

 

THE END

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

or not?

 

  
  
“I’m not-“  
  
The doorbell rang suddenly, interrupting the hybrid. Woohyun groaned. “Let’s ignore it. It’s probably no one important.”  
  
It rang again and this time the person didn’t seem to want to take his finger off the bell. The older man felt his patience snap. “Just a second.”  
  
He climbed out of the bed and wrapped the discarded towel around his hips again. Sunggyu sat up. “Should I come with you?”  
  
“No! Wait right there, as you are. I’ll be right back.”  
  
 _“THIS IS THE POLICE! YOU HAVE BEEN REPORTED FOR HYBRID ABUSE BECAUSE OF UNALLOWED SEXUAL INTERACTIONS! OPEN THE DOOR OR WE WILL USE FORCE!”_ A voice shouted from the other side of the front door and Woohyun exchanged a panicked look with the fox.  
  
He hurried to the door and heard Sunggyu following after him by the rustling of the blanket. A thousand questions ran through his mind. _How do they know? Why are they here? And so fast! Is it even a crime? Sunggyu agreed to it – I cannot be sued for that, right?_ Woohyun pulled the door open with a racing heart and a spray of water hit his face.  
  
“Hahaha! Look at him, Dongwoo. He totally bought it.” Sungyeol said and sprayed his face once more with the toy water pistol.  
  
Woohyun’s expression darkened and his fingers dug into the wood of the door. “You- What are you guys doing here?! And why the hell are you shouting this crap? What will my neighbors think??”  
  
Sungyeol looked at him and then behind him, where Sunggyu was standing with the blanket around his body. “I thought we should congratulate you on finally popping Sunggyu’s cherry. And I’m sure your neighbors heard all of it anyways, like us.”  
  
He glared at the younger man with red ears. “How did you even know-“  
  
Sungyeol shrugged. “I thought I told you about the surveillance cameras I installed-“  
  
Woohyun slammed the door shut and grabbed his head. “Why am I friends with this stupid asshole again?”  
  
Sunggyu stared at him with flushed cheeks. “Are there really cameras?”  
  
“No, Sunggyu-yah.” _At least I hope that._  
  
 _“Yes, Sunggyu.”_  
  
“Shut up, Sungyeol! Go away!”  
  
He grabbed the fox by the arm and dragged him back to the bedroom, ignoring whatever else his friends said. They went back to bed instead and snuggled under the blanket together. “This stupid guy…sometimes I just want to throw him down a cliff.”  
  
“What if there are really cameras?” The hybrid was tense in his arms.  
  
Woohyun groaned. He grabbed his phone and dialed Sungyeol’s phone number. _“Yes? Your best friend speaking~”_  
  
“You’re not my best friend. I told you that you’re fired. Now tell Sunggyu that there are no cameras installed anywhere.”  
  
There was a short pause before Sungyeol laughed. _“There are no cameras. Sorry, Sunggyu. We just came by for a surprise visit.”_  
  
Sunggyu relaxed in his arms. “You’re a bad person, Sungyeol-hyung.”  
  
Woohyun smiled and whispered into his ear. “Tell him he’s fired.”  
  
“You’re fired, hyung!”  
  
 _“Noooo, Sunggyu! I’m sorry! We are going home this instant! Hyung will buy-“_ Woohyun ended the call and turned his phone off.  
  
He wrapped his arms back around the fox and pulled their bodies close together. “Finally some peace.”  
  
Sunggyu hummed and closed his eyes. “I love you, _Hyun_.”  
  
Woohyun smiled. “A nickname for me? Thank you, little fox. I love you too.”  
  
They fell asleep in each other’s arms without any further disruption.  
  
The next day, Woohyun made it a rule that Sunggyu would run around with only a shirt on at home – no boxers or pants.  
  
And life was simply perfect.

 

 


End file.
